JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves requested a major disaster declaration for multiple counties impacted by severe storms in early February 2026, as state officials worked to assess the full extent of damage to residential and commercial structures.
The governor's request cited damage to homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure across the affected counties. A federal disaster declaration would unlock Individual Assistance for affected residents and Public Assistance grants for local governments.
Restoration contractors in Mississippi reported a significant increase in service calls following the storm events, with water intrusion, structural damage, and roof failures driving the majority of emergency response work.
The request reflects a pattern of severe weather events affecting Mississippi in early 2026, following a period of active storm activity that stretched restoration contractor capacity across the state.
Federal disaster declarations typically take between a few days and several weeks to process, depending on the scope of the damage assessment and the availability of federal resources.
