The damage done by recent storms in St. Martin Parish has met the threshold to qualify for SBA disaster loans.
On Thursday, state officials sent a request to the SBA's Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience, requesting that the agency provide assistance to businesses and residents of the parish affected by the storm and tornado that hit the parish on May 13.
State officials say they hope to hear the SBA's decision on the request soon.
SBA disaster loans aren't just for small businesses; all size businesses, homeowners, renters and non-profits can all apply for help via these loans. You have to be in a declared disaster area and meet other criteria to qualify. For more information about these loans, click here.
The letter states that the National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-2 tornado hit the Henderson area, touching down west of Bayou Teche and tracking across Cecilia, the Interstate and into Henderson.
The letter lists damage to homes, buildings, businesses, Pat's Fisherman's Wharf, trees and power lines, as well as multiple weather-related injuries and the one fatality. It outlines closures to schools and roads, and power outages that affected residents.
At least 36 homes and two businesses in St. Martin Parish sustained major damages and suffered uninsured losses of more than 40 percent, the letter states.
"Based upon this survey, I certify that small businesses in the disaster area have suffered substantial physical injury as a result of this event and are in need of financial assistance not otherwise available on reasonable terms," wrote Gov. Jeff Landry.
We'll update this story as soon as we hear about the SBA's decision on the request.
Here's the Governor's letter:
