Gov. Rick Scott has formally asked President Barack Obama to make a major disaster declaration for Florida because of Hurricane Hermine.
- Dozens of counties affected by Hermine
- The storm brought flooding, damage along the Gulf Coast
- Disaster declaration would free up state resources
The declaration includes areas impacted by the storm before it made landfall as a hurricane in the panhandle.
The National Hurricane Center designated Tropical Storm Hermine on Aug. 31. The storm caused major flooding throughout Pinellas, Pasco and Manatee counties.
The storm made landfall near the Wakulla-Jefferson county line as a hurricane Sept. 2, causing more flooding, damage and leaving thousands without power. The governor's request extends through the post-storm period to Sept. 11.
Scott declared a state of emergency in 51 states during the storm's journey up the Gulf Coast.
The letter to the president and FEMA representatives state the magnitude of the response needed is beyond the ability of state and local governments.
Over the last year, the state has had to deal with numerous events that have hampered the state's ability to financially respond to disasters, including flooding in 2015, the algae blooms in Lake Okeechobee, the Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando and the response to the Zika virus.
The state said preliminary damage assessments run more than $36 million in public assistance damages because of Hermine.
A presidential disaster declaration would open up federal resources to support the recovery, including both individual assistance and public assistance.
You can read the full request on Scott's website.