This is historical material, "frozen in time." The web site is no longer updated and links to external web sites and some internal pages will not work.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release September 24, 1998

               PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARED A MAJOR DISASTER 
                EXISTS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and ordered Federal aid to supplement Commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area struck by Hurricane Georges on September 20-22, 1998.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals and local governments in all 78 municipios.

Assistance can include disaster housing, grants, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to eligible local governments on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency protective measures. Federal funding is also available on a cost share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

The Agency said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional assistance may be added after the assessments are completed.

###