FEMADR-1979-TNMajor disasterDeclared May 9, 2011
DR-1979-TN: Tennessee Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
FEMA made a major disaster declaration for Tennessee (DR-1979-TN) on May 9, 2011 for the incident of April 19, 2011 to June 7, 2011; it covers 18 designated areas. FEMA had approved $11.4 million for 1,418 households through the Individuals and Households Program (as of October 1, 2026) and obligated $18.4 million in Public Assistance (as of May 17, 2026).
The declaration
- Declaration
- DR-1979-TN (also written FEMA-1979-DR)
- Type
- Major disaster declaration
- State
- Tennessee
- Incident
- Severe Storm: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
- Incident period
- April 19, 2011 to June 7, 2011
- Declared
- May 9, 2011
- Programs declared
- Individuals and Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation
- FEMA region
- 4
- Place in the year
- the fourth of 5 major disaster declarations for Tennessee in 2011
- Status
- closed out on March 16, 2022
- Registration deadline (individual help)
- August 9, 2011
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
Which areas are covered, and for what?
| Designated area | Individuals and Households | Public Assistance | Hazard Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Carroll (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Crockett (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Dyer (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gibson (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Henderson (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Henry (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Houston (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Lake (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lauderdale (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lincoln (County) | Yes | — | Yes |
| Madison (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Montgomery (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
| Obion (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shelby (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stewart (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tipton (County) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weakley (County) | — | Yes | Yes |
An area can be added to a declaration after the first day, or have a program added: this table is FEMA's current list.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
How much has FEMA approved?
1,418households approved for help (IHP)
$11.4 millionIndividuals and Households Program approved
$10.0 millionof it for housing
$1.4 millionof it for other needs
$18.4 millionPublic Assistance obligated
$4.2 millionHazard Mitigation Grant Program obligated
Individual assistance figures as of October 1, 2026, public assistance as of May 17, 2026. FEMA updates both as applications are decided.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2); FEMA, OpenFEMA FEMA Web Disaster Summaries (v1). Data as of September 29, 2026.
FEMA's page for this declaration
FEMA's own page for this declaration is fema.gov/disaster/1979. AreaZine is not FEMA and cannot answer questions about an application. Registration for individual help closed on August 9, 2011.