‘It’s going to be sad' | No federal funding expected in Morgan County following deadly tornado

WARTBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - As crews continue to clean up the debris and devastation left behind by a deadly tornado in Morgan County, county leaders are coming to a disappointing realization.

Previous Coverage: Morgan County’s EF-2 tornado bordered on EF-3 rating, National Weather Service says

County Executive Brian Langley said for the county to get any federal relief, there would have to be more than $13,000,000 in damages from across the state.

While state and local crews continue to assess the total damages, Langley said it’s expected they will fall well short of that threshold.

“For FEMA’s qualifications, we’re not going to meet that, and it’s going to be sad,” said Langley.

Despite two deaths and 39 homes damaged or destroyed, Langley said it’s unlikely they’ll receive federal help.

Previous Coverage: Mother and daughter dead in Morgan County tornado, sheriff’s office says

He attributes that in part to homes in rural areas not being as expensive as others in a larger city, which impacts the total amount of damages estimated by the state.

“They’re not thinking about the rural, small counties, not only here in Tennessee, they’re nationwide and all over the place. I wouldn’t trade Morgan County for any place in the world, but a lot of times, we do get overlooked, and it’s my job to make sure we don’t get overlooked,” said Langley.

Knowing that FEMA funding likely won’t come, they’re relying on state leaders to help in any way they can.

“I’m working with the governor to see what we can do right now for my constituents in Morgan County,” said Rep. Ed Butler.

Langley said they’re planning on meeting as a county in the coming weeks to address lingering concerns in the aftermath of the flood.