State of Emergency Declared for 2 North Carolina Counties Hit by Tornado

Gov. Roy Cooper has declared a state of emergency in two North Carolina counties which suffered major damage from a tornado.

Cooper’s declaration Friday for Guilford and Rockingham counties means state government resources can help governments with recovery efforts.

It is also the first step in the process to seek federal funds to reimburse local governments and help individuals and homeowners.

One person died in Sunday’s storm, and Guilford County officials say 1,000 structures suffered some kind of damage. Three schools in Guilford County are temporarily relocating due to building damage.

Cooper’s office says Federal Emergency Management Agency assessors were on the ground with other teams Friday collecting information to determine which state or federal disaster relief programs may be activated.