President Declares A Major Disaster For Puerto Rico 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and ordered federal aid to supplement commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides during the period of May 20 to June 8, 2011.

Federal funding is available to commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides in the municipalities of Añasco, Caguas, Camuy, Ciales, Hatillo, Las Piedras, Morovis, Orocovis, San Lorenzo, San Sebastián, Utuado, and Villalba.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all municipalities in the commonwealth.

Justo Hernández has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  Hernández said that additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.