FEMA Approves $1.8M In Aid For Tennesseans Affected By April Storms; Applications Ongoing

Image: Flood water covers parts of the roadway and front yards on residential Christie Street in Dyersburg, Tenn. on April 10, 2025. Image Credit: Cassandra Stephenson

By Cassandara Stephenson [The Tennessee Lookout -CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] –

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $1.8 million in aid for individual Tennesseans affected by severe storms in April, according to the agency.

As of July 2, FEMA approved 206 individual assistance applications, totaling around $948,000 in housing assistance and $871,000 in assistance for other needs.

The individual assistance funding is in addition to public assistance funds approved to help local governments pay for repairs to public property and infrastructure.

President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for some Tennessee counties on June 20, more than two months after Gov. Bill Lee requested federal assistance to recover from destructive tornadoes and once-in-a-generation flooding.

The early April storms severely damaged an estimated 300 homes and 14 businesses or nonprofits and killed 10 people. McNairy County’s emergency management agency estimated that an EF-3 tornado that hit Selmer, the county seat, caused around $27.6 million in private property damage alone. 

Trump approved individual assistance for eligible applicants in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Dyer, Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion and Wilson counties. 

This type of assistance can include grants for temporary housing or home repairs, post-disaster support services and low-cost loans to cover uninsured losses. FEMA aid does not apply to losses already covered by insurance, according to the agency’s website.

FEMA recommends affected individuals file a claim with their insurance company immediately, before applying for FEMA aid.

Affected individuals can apply for individual assistance through DisasterAssistance.gov, through FEMA’s mobile app or by calling 800-621-3362. Help with applications is also available at Disaster Recovery Centers set up in each eligible county. Centers offer assistance information from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. All centers are closed on July 4. Hours for each center as well as additional resources can be found at fema.gov/disaster/4878.

Disaster Recovery Centers

• Davidson County: Nashville Looby Public Library, 2301 Rosa L Parks Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37228
• Dyer County: Bogota Community Center, 78 Sandy Lane, Bogota, TN 38007
• Wilson County: Wilson County Fair Grounds, 945 E Baddour Parkway, Lebanon, TN 37087
• Montgomery County: Clarksville-Montgomery County Library, 350 Pageant Lane, Clarksville, TN 37040
• McNairy County: Latta Building, 205 W Court Avenue, Selmer, TN 38375
• Hardeman County: Safe Haven Storm Shelter, 530 Madison Avenue W, Grand Junction, TN 38039
• Obion County: Obion County Library, 1221 E Reelfoot Avenue, Union City, TN 38261