US government provides disaster repair funds

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is providing US$ 679 million to help states cover the costs of repairing roads and bridges damaged by hurricanes, floods and storms, a US government statement revealed.

During a visit to hurricane-battered Galveston, Texas, DOT secretary Mary Peters said the department was making the relief funds available immediately.

She said, "When natural disasters strike, restoring transportation is the first stop on the road to recovery."

The statement said the money, provided through the Federal Highway Administration's emergency-relief programme, is being allocated to 28 states and Puerto Rico.

The top five state recipients of the funds are California, which will receive US$ 119 million for storms in the winters of 2004/05 and 2005/06 and Texas, which will receive US$ 96.5 million, including US$ 70 million for damages from Hurricane Ike.

Louisiana, will be given US$ 80.6 million, for damages caused by this year's Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, heavy rain in 2006 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Oklahoma will be given US$ 36.2 million, for damages from flooding, a landslide, and storms between May 2007 and June 2008.

Meanwhile Arizona, will receive US$ 26.7 million for flooding in 2005 and 2006 and a landslide in March 2008.