Napolitano tours areas devastated by Tenn. floods, says victims should seek help from FEMA

Napolitano: Tenn. flood victims should seek help

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano toured Tennessee’s flood zone Saturday morning, urging those affected to seek help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Napolitano says more than $4.1 million in individual assistance has been approved already with 16,000 applications made and 695 inspections done by early Saturday morning.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen joined Napolitano on the tour of Nashville, where the damage has been estimated to be at least $1.5 billion after record rains.

Two more bodies of storm victims have been found, bringing the death toll from last weekend’s string thunderstorms to 33 in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi.