Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2020 President Donald J. Trump Approves Mississippi Disaster Declaration Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Mississippi and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding from January 10 to January 11, 2020. Federal funding is available to State and 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 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding in the counties of Bolivar, Choctaw, Clay, DeSoto, Oktibbeha, Panola, Prentiss, Sunflower, Tishomingo, and Washington. Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Pete Gaynor, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Terry L. Quarles as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV