CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — Those impacted by the severe storms last month that ripped through Catawba County can officially apply for disaster relief.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is helping residents and businesses affected by the Jan. 9 severe weather in Catawba, Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Iredell and Lincoln counties through low-interest disaster loans. It comes after a disaster declaration request from Gov. Roy Cooper, which the governor announced Thursday was formally approved.
“We want them to come in and see if we can help them with any damages that they haven’t been reimbursed by insurance," Jim Accurso, Public Affairs Specialist for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience, U.S. Small Business Administration, said.
Preliminary information revealed a "high-end" EF-1 tornado touched down in Catawba County on Jan. 9, killing one person and injuring at least two others during a severe weather outbreak across the Carolinas, the National Weather Service previously confirmed.
“There was no warning whatsoever of a tornado coming through, and we’d never dream it would be coming through," resident Wanda Wimbley said. "We’ve lived here for 33 years, had everything paid off, didn’t owe nothing and we lost it all.”
Wanda and Lee Wimbley may have lost it all, but they say it's a miracle they're still alive.
“I’m going to tell you the truth, I felt a hand on my back, Wonda felt the hand on her back, and it was the Lord," Lee Wimbly said. "There was nobody else in that house but us, it was the Lord putting us in that closet."
In the neighborhood, a cross stands tall and a flag flies high, as cleanup continues.
“We work day and night, 24 hours a day, around the clock out here and we have been since it happened," Bobbi Dogger said. “We need some rebuilding down here, but we stand together, fight together, and love each other as much as we can."
The disaster loan outreach center will be set up in the Catawba County Emergency Services building on Government Drive in Newton, from Feb. 5 through Feb. 19. Officials inside the building can help people fill out an application for relief.
The building is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
Homeowners can apply for loans up to $500,000 to repair or replace impacted real estate, and both homeowners and renters can apply for loans up to $100,000 for damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses directly impacted, whether by physical damage or not, can apply for Economic Injury Disaster loans.
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Those who do not wish to go in person can receive additional assistance and application information on the SBA website. The deadline to return applications for physical property damage is April 1, and the deadline to return economic injury applications is Nov. 1.
Residents are encouraged to bring all the documentation they currently have from the following list, even if some of the required documentation is not yet available:
- Proof of home/vehicle ownership, such as a deed, tax record or vehicle registration
- Proof of residence, such as a utility bill or the front page of a bank statement
- Proof of home/auto insurance, such as the declaration page
- Copy of driver’s license or state ID
- Copy of Social Security card
- Two (2) estimates of physical damage (homeowners only)
- Photos
The disaster declaration expires 60 days after issuance.
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