Some Moss Point residents receiving misleading FEMA letters

Some Moss Point residents who applied early for help from FEMA after a tornado hit the city are hearing back from FEMA — but assistance is not yet available for the city.

State and local officials are still in the process of having the city declared a federal disaster area.

Neither Gov. Tate Reeves nor President Joe Biden have declared Moss Point a federal disaster area in the wake of the June 19 EF-2 tornado that ripped through the city.

“Our governor, nor our president, has issued a declaration related to our disaster,” Mayor Billy Knight said. “When they do that, I’ll be the first to let you know.”

According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the steps that have to be taken to have an area declared a disaster area that Moss Point is currently in the process of completing. The last update released to the media showed that MEMA had finished its assessment and asked FEMA to validate.

Once FEMA does that, MEMA will request assistance from the federal government, which has to be signed off by the governor and the president. Once that happens, Moss Point will be eligible for assistance.