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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release October 4, 2000

       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 severe storms and flooding beginning on October 3, 2000, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, and Monroe Counties. 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 is also available on a cost-share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

James L. Witt, Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), named Justo Hernandez as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area. The Agency said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional assistance and counties may be added after the assessments are completed.

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