July 14, 2015
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has submitted a request to the federal government for emergency funds to remedy millions of dollars in damage caused by a severe thunderstorm.
The storm, which brought heavy rains and strong straight-line winds to the Delaware Valley on June 23, hit South Jersey particularly hard. Homes and businesses were damaged while thousands were left without power for days.
Governor Chris Christie officially submitted the state request Monday to President Barack Obama for a Major Disaster Declaration for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties as a result of the storm which an assessment from state and local officials say caused more than $15 million in damages in the region, surpassing the baseline standards for FEMA assistance.
Camden County officials, who claimed more than $4 million in public and individual assistance, say the storm's impact is comparable to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The department of Public Safety dispatchers took in 2,432 calls in a six-hour window during the storm, about a thousand calls less than a two-day period during Sandy.
Christie, who said he would only request federal aid if it was necessary, has received criticism by some for not responding quickly enough to the storm. His request now awaits Obama's approval.
