Liberal: Sebelius seeks aid for southwest Kansas

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said she would ask the federal government to pay the entire cost of cleaning up storm damage in southwest Kansas.

Sebelius, who Monday toured Liberal to look at damage from a tornado that struck the city last week, said she was seeking a 100 percent disaster relief grant from the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

State and local governments, she said, are too strapped by budget woes to afford cleaning up from a tornado that destroyed about five homes and damaged several others in southwest Kansas.

While in Liberal, the governor visited with storm victims and Red Cross workers who had gone to the city to lend a hand.

After Thursday night’s tornado, Sebelius declared Seward County a disaster area.

Above, a crew from the Kansas Disaster Assessment Team surveys damage Friday at the Cimarron Heights Trailer Park in Liberal.

Washington, D.C.: Federal assistance extended to 2 counties

Federal officials are extending aid to two more Kansas counties recovering from this month’s tornadoes and storms.

Anderson and Woodson counties will be eligible for funds to repair or replace damaged public facilities, as well as for debris removal and emergency protective measures. Those counties were already eligible for individual assistance for households and families.

The decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency brings to nine the list of counties eligible for both types of assistance. The counties are: Anderson, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Leavenworth, Miami, Neosho, Woodson and Wyandotte.