Officials Say Oklahoma Tornado Causing Financial Woes

President Barack Obama approved a request by Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin for federal disaster assistance for Atoka County following an April 14 tornado that devastated the town of Tushka. The EF3 tornado cut a swath four miles wide and 15 miles long.

With the disaster declaration, affected individuals and business owners may now qualify for assistance with housing repairs or temporary housing. It also makes U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest loans available for individuals and businesses to repair or replace damaged property.

The declaration comes as Atoka County struggles with the major financial strain caused by the tornado. State officials said the tornado destroyed 149 homes and businesses in and around the town. Another 47 had major damage, 33 had minor damage, and eight were mildly affected by the storm.

Tushka is home to about 345 people. About 65 percent of those who lost houses did not have insurance on the contents of their homes, and roughly half had no insurance at all, Red Cross spokeswoman Donita Quesnal told The Oklahoman.

So far, the Red Cross has spent $221,000 on relief efforts, and Quesnal said the cost could climb to about $400,000.Only about $40,000 has been donated to the relief effort, Quesnal said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Atoka County is about $32,000 a year, about $10,000 less than the state average.

The town’s brick school, built in the early 1900s, suffered about $12 million in damage, and farming areas outside the town also were hit hard.