RALEIGH - Gov. Mike Easley today declared Bertie and Onslow counties state disaster areas, making residents and businesses in those counties eligible for state disaster assistance.

The declaration means people in those counties can get help with repairs from storms and tornadoes that struck May 11, according to a news release issued by Easley's office.

Easley also announced that the federal Small Business Administration has approved his request for a disaster declaration, making residents and businesses eligible for low-interest federal loans.

Residents who suffered storm damage in the contiguous counties of Carteret, Chowan, Duplin, Halifax, Hertford, Jones, Martin, Northampton, Pender and Washington also are eligible for the aid.

In Bertie County, 30 homes were destroyed or received major damage and were not covered by insurance, according to Easley's office. In Onslow County, 16 homes and 10 businesses received major damage and were not insured.

Bertie County residents can apply for financial assistance at Mount Olive Baptist Church, 102 Mount Olive Road, Windsor. Onslow residents can apply at the Maysville Town Hall, 404 Main Street, Maysville.

Applicants must apply to the Small Business Administration first; if they are not eligible for an SBA loan, the state can assist with grants of up to $28,200 for such things as temporary housing and rental assistance, repair or replacement of dwellings, repair or replacement of privately-owned vehicles and replacement of personal items including clothing, tools and equipment.

The SBA loans cover repairs to homes and businesses that are not insured, and the agency's Economic Injury Disaster Loans help small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives cover normal operating expenses through the disaster recovery period.

Anyone with questions about the federal loan programs can contact the SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Applications should be mailed to:

U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76155.

Completed loan applications must be returned to the SBA no later than July 21, 2008, and economic injury loan applications must be returned to the SBA no later than Feb. 20, 2009.