U.S. Approves Funds for Florida Tornado Victims

Federal officials have approved more than $17.7 million in payouts in connection with tornadoes that hit Florida last winter.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it also approved an additional $20.6 million in low-interest disaster loans, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The deadline to apply for assistance has passed. Some 2,700 applications were submitted.

The payouts included more than $3.8 million to families and individuals, primarily in Volusia and Lake counties, for losses, and more than $3.1 million in housing assistance, also largely to the same areas.

A string of tornadoes skipped across central Florida in the early morning of Feb. 2, killing 21 people and destroying hundreds of homes. A tornado on Christmas Day also caused damage.