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FEMA, state open disaster relief center in Morgan City to provide one-on-one aid after Francine

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MORGAN CITY — FEMA and state officials on Monday opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Morgan City to provide relief to Louisiana residents affected by Hurricane Francine.

The center, located in the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium, will provide one-on-one help to residents affected by the storm.

In St Mary parish residents who were affected by Hurricane Francine are still working out their next moves. With a new storm system forming in the gulf some residents say they're still in the process of recovering and are worried about another storm. 

This week they're able to go in person to file with FEMA for disaster relief. 

Sheridan Crane, who lives in Morgan City said she's applying after her home was a total loss in the storm. 

"With FEMA, I've already applied, I'm just waiting to hear back to see what I can get help with, as far as my son, his furniture, toys, clothes. It started flooding really fast and got really high, I didn't think I'd lose everything,” Crane said. 

Crane left with her son to her parents house not far, but once the storm cleared, she came back to nothing. 

"I think it was very under-estimated, this hurricane, and I think the next time we have a hurricane I'm going to leave with my son," Crane said. "I already knew I lived in a flood zone, I didn't think the water would get that high, and I went the next day to check on my house. I had about 4 feet of water in my house, and a tree branch through my son's roof.  I lost all of my furniture, pretty much everything I own I lost." 

It will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will service residents in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes. Residents can visit the center to meet with FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration representatives, as well as community partners.

Keith Jones, spokesperson for FEMA says having this disaster center set up provides confused residents some clarity. 

"It is a daunting prospect sometimes if you've never filed for assistance before, and somebody who knows exactly what buttons you need to click, and exactly what questions who need to answer is a great big help," Jones said. "You can get an answer faster, so you can help your recovery faster."

Crane said after Francine's wrath on the city, she's worried about the soon to become Hurricane Helene's formation in the gulf.

"Knowing how quickly Francine came and hit us directly, I've just been keeping an eye on it. We just got hit by a hurricane and another one’s forming and you just don't know which it will turn," Crane said.

No appointment is needed to visit the center, officials said.

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