When the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it would reimburse eligible families who lost loved ones to COVID-19, staff at Natchez Trace Funeral Home in Madison picked up the phone.
For each family that had used their services to honor a coronavirus-related death, they called to say they had documentation ready when the family needed it. We have had a lot of COVID-related deaths, said Shay Chedotal, Natchez Trace Funeral Home president. As far as people that have passed 100% due to COVID? Very few, probably three or four.
Since March 19, 2020, more than 7,000 Mississippians have died as a result of the coronavirus. This month, FEMA will begin disbursing the $2 billion $9,000 per funeral, up from an initial max of $7,000 in funeral reimbursement. Information was not immediately available as to why FEMA increased the aid amount.
Rain is in the forecast for most of Mississippi Friday night into Saturday morning, with flash flooding and possible strong storms cropping up, according to the National Weather Service. We do feel very confident that we will have showers and storms overnight, meteorologist Logan Poole with the National Weather Service s Jackson Office said Friday. So most places are going to see significant rainfall. Some places may even see 2 to 4 inches as the heaviest stuff moves through late tonight.
Poole said areas along and south of the I-20 corridor will most likely see the heaviest rainfall, increasing chances for flash flooding.