Disaster Assistance Hotline Opens for Flood Victims

Southeast Arkansas residents impacted by the June 6 storm may apply for help.

flooded street in Dumas, Arkansas
Southeast Arkansas experienced flooding in June following severe storms. Photo courtesy of the Dumas Police Department.

Homeowners and renters in Arkansas, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, Lincoln and Monroe Counties affected by the flooding and severe storms on June 6, 2021, may be eligible for disaster assistance through the State of Arkansas Individual Assistance program.

Individuals whose primary residence was destroyed or made uninhabitable can apply for assistance July 12 through July 23. Assistance may include home repairs, cleaning, household debris removal and personal property repair. Businesses, second homes, vehicles, sheds or outbuildings, fencing and food loss are not eligible for disaster assistance funds. 

Affected residents can apply by contacting the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management call center at 1-888-ADEM (2336). The hotline is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. 

Applicants will need to provide the address of the damaged home, proof of ownership or rental agreement, insurance information, social security number and detailed damage information, according to a press release. Residents will also be asked to provide a phone number and email address. Damaged verification inspections are required and will be conducted by county emergency management. 

Gov. Asa Hutchinson declared a state of emergency June 10 in response to flooding in southeast Arkansas. More than a foot of rain fell in some communities in the region in a 24-hour period. The declaration directed $100,000 from the Emergency Response Fund of the Governor’s Disaster Fund to be used at the discretion of the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management director.