Obama offers disaster aid to Indiana counties hit by tornadoes [View all]
Source: Chicago Tribune / Reuters
INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said six southern Indiana counties devastated by severe weather and tornadoes last week were eligible for federal disaster assistance.
Obama was responding on Friday to Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels request for aid after strong storms and tornadoes hit the rural southern part of the state on March 2, killing at least 13 people.
One of the tornadoes, in Jefferson County, was classified as an EF-4, one notch below the strongest rating, and considered an extremely dangerous storm with winds of around 200 miles per hour, the National Weather Service said.
Daniels said in a letter to Obama on March 4 that the storms had taken a heavy toll on the rural communities including homes destroyed or damaged and the displacement of 1,200 Henryville, Indian students.
Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-tornadoes-indiana-aidbre8290eg-20120310,0,5515331.story