Residents in Suffolk will be able to get federal aid in recovering from Hurricane Matthew following a declaration by President Barack Obama late last week.

Obama added Suffolk, Portsmouth and Hampton to the individual assistance disaster declaration that already included residents in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Newport News.

The additional localities were made eligible at the request of Gov. Terry McAuliffe after further information was provided on the scale of the disaster in these localities.

“I am pleased that we were able work with President Obama to bring this funding back for the people of Virginia who need it,” McAuliffe stated in a press release from his office. “I thank the residents of Portsmouth, Hampton and Suffolk who provided a thorough accounting of the impacts to their community to help inform this decision and deliver the needed federal aid.”

The Individual Assistance programs made available to communities through the disaster declaration provide several forms of recovery assistance for individuals and households. Assistance can include help with temporary housing, reimbursement of lodging assistance, and financial assistance for repair or replacement of their home. Damage to an essential vehicle, moving and storage expenses, clean-up items, medical and child care expenses, and damage to essential household items, clothing, tools required for your job and necessary educational materials are all covered if related to the disaster, as are funeral expenses.

“This additional funding will help to ensure the residents and businesses of these communities have access to the aid needed to support recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Matthew,” McAuliffe said. “I encourage all Virginians in surrounding regions to continue submitting information as this process unfolds.”

Also last week, FEMA announced several localities, including Suffolk, Chesapeake, Franklin, Isle of Wight and Southampton, qualified for public assistance. The public assistance program works with local governments to repair damage to public property, such as roads and government buildings.

“These funds are much needed as Virginians in the impacted localities work to rebuild their lives and communities,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran. “Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit and thank our Virginia Department of Emergency Management team and FEMA partners, for their round-the-clock work at the Joint Field Office in Virginia Beach.”

Residents must apply for aid directly with FEMA and report damages. There are three ways to apply now:

• Call toll-free at (800) 621-3362 or TTY (800) 462-7585.
• Register on your computer at www.disasterassistance.gov.
• Register your smartphone at m.fema.gov.

FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers will be established soon in Suffolk, Portsmouth and Hampton to help residents register in person. Information on the locations of these centers will be made available soon.