Governor Reeves requests major disaster declaration for counties impacted by Tropical Storm Arthur

JACKSON, Miss. – Governor Tate Reeves today requested a Major Disaster Declaration from President Trump for eight counties impacted by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flash flooding on June 18-19, 2026, from the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur.

Tropical Storm Arthur poured 30 inches of rain onto the state within a five-day period, with some downpours falling at rates up to three inches per hour. The massive tropical moisture plume triggered flash flood emergencies, threatened earthen dams, and drove multiple river basins into major flood stages. Six key river basins crested and did not recede for as many as seven days after the initial impacts of the storm. Tropical Storm Arthur damaged 532 homes, 17 businesses, and 5 farms.

“Mississippians are resilient, but the damage caused by Tropical Storm Arthur has left many families and communities facing a long recovery,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “Today, I requested a Major Disaster Declaration from President Trump to help ensure those impacted have access to the resources they need to rebuild. Mississippi will continue to support every community affected as they recover.”

The state is requesting Individual Assistance for the following four counties: Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone.

The eight counties included in the request for Public Assistance are: Covington, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, Stone, and Wayne. Joint damage assessments have been conducted by FEMA and MEMA. Damage assessments indicate that the threshold requirements have been met to be eligible for Public Assistance.

As additional damages are discovered and reported, this request may be amended to add additional counties for Individual Assistance or Public Assistance in the future.

Individual Assistance is for residents in declared counties. It can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals recover from the effects of a disaster.

Public Assistance supports local governments and certain nonprofits in recovering from major disasters by providing grants for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective measures, and the restoration of public infrastructure.

President Trump must approve the request for federal assistance to become available to local and county governments and certain nonprofits. The state of Mississippi continues to work closely with federal and local officials, volunteers, faith-based organizations, and private sector partners to recover from the storm.