Gov. Tim Walz sent a letter on Wednesday, Oct. 9, authorizing the use of funds from the state Disaster Assistance Contingency Account to assist southern Minnesota counties in their efforts to recover from severe storm damage incurred this past summer.

A damage assessment by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management showed that the storm damage caused by strong winds and flooding in southern Minnesota warrants the use of the state disaster funds.

The damage occurred July 16-20, 2019, in Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Le Sueur, Wabasha, and Winona counties.

“This has been a tough year for many Minnesotans who are working to rebuild and recover after significant storm damage,” Walz said. “Our neighbors in southern Minnesota were hit particularly hard by a series of severe storms that crushed public infrastructure and slowed local economies. That’s why we’re authorizing funds from our state’s disaster assistance account to offset the burden for Minnesotans while they work to make their communities whole again.”

The state will cover 75 percent of the eligible costs from the Disaster Assistance Contingency Account, with local governments covering the remaining 25 percent.