Time is running out for Mississippians whose property sustained damage during Hurricane Katrina to apply for disaster assistance. The deadline for new applications is April 10.

Individuals, families and business owners in disaster-designated counties who suffered losses and have not applied for assistance need to call the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s toll-free Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or, for the speech- or hearing-impaired, 1-800-462-7585.

Both numbers are available seven days a week from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. People may also register for disaster assistance online at www.fema.gov.

The 49 eligible counties include: Adams, Amite, Attala, Claiborne, Choctaw, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Warren, Wayne, Wilkinson, Winston and Yazoo.

Even if a property owner has insurance, he or she may still be eligible for disaster assistance for under-insured losses. Federal and state officials urge Mississippians in the designated counties to call the FEMA Helpline to determine what types of assistance they could receive.

“It is critical for families to take advantage of the extended deadline and apply now,” said Robert Latham, director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. “This is our final effort to reach out to anyone who still hasn’t applied for assistance.”

Loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration for disaster-related losses of real and personal property suffered by homeowners, renters, landlords and businesses of any size must also be submitted by the April, 10 deadline.

  People who have already applied for assistance may call the FEMA Helpline even after the deadline to check on the status of their applications, make changes to their personal information or receive additional details. 

To date, nearly 517,000 Mississippians have registered for disaster assistance. More than $1.1 billion in disaster funding has been approved for individuals and households impacted by the disaster, as well as more than $2 billion in disaster loans through the SBA disaster assistance program.