Six area counties were declared disaster areas on Thursday, June 5 in response to the unprecedented flooding that occurred Wednesday, May 21.

Clark, Champaign, Greene, Madison, Miami, and Montgomery Counties were officially declared disaster areas by the Small Business Administration last week, meaning some affected residents will be eligible for long-term, low-interest rate loans issued by the federal government. These loans are designed to assist residents in moving on from the epic flooding, be it in terms of relocation or reparations of damaged goods.

Richard Daigle, Public Affairs Specialist from the Small Business Administration Disaster Relief, said residents affected by the flooding who were either uninsured or under-insured may apply for these loans. Daigle stressed that although the Small Business Administration is responsible for processing these loans, eligible business owners as well as private citizens will qualify for the loans.

Business owners who were either uninsured or under-insured in the flood may receive up to $2 million to get back up and running. Eligible homeowners and renters may qualify for as much as $200,000 for real estate loss and up to $40,000 in property loss or damage including cars, furniture, etc. Daigle said these loans must be re-paid, but come with a lower interest rate and longer period of time. The loans are not issued through a bank, but through the Federal Government itself.

Interested Clark County residents affected by the flood are asked to visit the Bethel Township Fire Station of Clark County, located at 3333 Lake Road in Medway, across from Copey’s Meat Market. There, residents may speak with representatives of the SBA to see if they qualify for the loans. Daigle stressed there is a deadline on applying for these loans, and the sooner residents contact the SBA, the sooner they will receive a response. SBA representatives will be available at the Bethel Township Fire Station from June 10 through June 13 from 9am to 6pm, as well as Saturday, June 14 from 9 am to 1pm, and June 16-19 from 9 am to 6 pm. Visit www.sba.gov/disaster for more information, or call Bethel Township at (937)849-9499.