South Dakota Receives Presidential Disaster Declaration After Historic Flooding

From: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
August 15, 2024

PIERRE, S.D. – On Aug 15th, Governor Kristi Noem announced that South Dakota has received a presidential disaster declaration due to the historic 1000-year flooding event that occurred between June 16 and July 8, 2024. 25 counties have received disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and four of those counties have qualified for individual assistance for residents and business owners.

“South Dakota has worked tremendously hard to get to this point and will continue working to rebuild our communities. I am so proud of our people,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “This event was unprecedented, but our response was exactly what South Dakota always does. We work together to get our neighbors back on their feet.”

Residents and business owners in the following four counties qualified for individual assistance: Davison, Lincoln, Turner, and Union. Residents must contact FEMA to register.

Disaster Recovery Center dates & locations will be announced very soon. It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance. Impacted individuals located within one of these counties can go online to disasterassistance.gov, call 800-621-3362 or use the FEMA mobile app to apply.

In addition, federal funding is available to state, tribal, eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the flooding in the following 25 counties: Aurora, Bennett, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Clay, Davison, Douglas, Gregory, Hand, Hanson, Hutchinson, Jackson, Lake, Lincoln, McCook, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Sanborn, Tripp, Turner, Union, and Yankton.

As Governor Noem reiterated many times throughout this historic flooding event, for those local communities, the cost share will be 75% federal, 15% state, and 10% local. These local entities will work with state and FEMA officials to obtain this assistance.

Latest News

Gov. Noem Joins Governors' Coalition for Energy Choice

From: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
September 19, 2024
PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem is one of the founding members of the Governor’s Coalition for Energy Choice (Coalition). The Coalition will help state leaders formulate smart energy… Read More

Gov. Noem and Colleagues Urge NCAA to Fix NIL Settlement

From: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
September 17, 2024
PIERRE, S.D. – On Sep 17th, Governor Kristi Noem and four of her fellow governors urged NCAA President Charlie Baker to restructure its settlement with student athletes on Name, Image, and… Read More

Gov. Noem Urges AG Garland to Take Action on Tribal Public Safety

From: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
September 16, 2024
PIERRE, S.D. – On Sep 16th, Governor Kristi Noem wrote to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to take action to address public safety on Native American reservations in South… Read More

The Basics of Education

From: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
September 13, 2024
As I watch my grandchildren grow and learn, I’m reminded of something that I learned as a young parent: our kids are capable of learning far more (and more quickly) than we realize before we… Read More

Flags at Half-Staff in Honor of Patriot Day

From: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
September 11, 2024
PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff statewide from sunrise until sundown on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, in honor of Patriot Day. Patriot Day… Read More