New Hampshire Governor Requests Disaster Assistance for March Storm

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has requested that President Donald Trump issue a major disaster declaration and provide federal emergency assistance for the blizzard and severe winter storm that happened in mid-March.

Sununu said that eight of the state’s 10 counties suffered widespread property damage in the March 14-15 storm.

Snowfall accumulation totaled between 12 to 20 inches across the state with rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour, with wind exceeding 80 miles an hour.

The storm left nearly 144,000 customers without power and damaged more than 200 electrical power poles and associated equipment. It also resulted in hundreds of traffic accidents and forced more than 500 school closures.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently completed a preliminary damage assessment, finding that the statewide costs for this event’s response efforts exceeded over $2 million.