Washington, DC (KROC-AM News) - President Obama has signed a major disaster declaration to assist areas of Minnesota hit by torrential rains and flooding in late-September.

The declaration covers nine counties in southern Minnesota: Goodhue, Fillmore, Houston, Freeborn, Steele, Waseca, Rice, Le Sueur and Blue Earth Counties.

It extends federal funding to local and tribal governments, along with certain non-profit organizations, to help cover the cost of repairing public infrastructure and for the emergency response during the disaster that followed the heavy rainstorms that moved across the state on September 21st and led to severe flooding.

In requesting the disaster declaration, Governor Mark Dayton indicated preliminary assessments put the damage to public infrastructure at over $8 million, with another $10 million in damage to homes and other private property.

Federal officials note additional disaster designations could be made at a later date based on further damage assessments.

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