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THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                         (Highfill, Arkansas)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                   November 6, 1998
                       PRESIDENT CLINTON DECLARES
             A MAJOR DISASTER EXISTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by Tropical Storm Mitch on November 4-5, 1998.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals and local governments in Monroe County.

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 the repair or replacement of public facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Mitch. Federal funding is also available on a cost share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

James L. Witt, Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), named Paul Fay of FEMA's regional office in Atlanta, Georgia to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

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

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