Obama Declares Montgomery County Disaster Area for Derecho

President Obama Thursday declared a major disaster exists in six jurisdictions in Maryland, including Montgomery County, that wreaked havoc, including knocking out power to hundreds of thousands in a major heat wave.

The declaration means federal aid is available for state and local recovery efforts due to the storms, winds and aftermath from June 29-July 8.

The funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities in the counties of Calvert, Charles, Kent, Montgomery, and St. Mary’s and the City of Baltimore, according to a White House statement.

Federal money could reimburse up to 75 percent of the costs associated with response and clean-up from the storms, according to Gov. Martin O'Malley's office.

Other counties could be added later as they continue to calculate their costs from the storm. The declaration also includes state-wide hazard mitigation funds to help government agencies reduce the threat of future events.