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Disaster loans available after heavy northern Indiana rains

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – The federal government is making low-interest disaster loans available to help people, businesses and certain nonprofits that sustained damage when a record rainfall hit the South Bend area nearly two weeks ago.

Gov. Mike Pence announced Friday that the Small Business Administration has approved disaster loans for St. Joseph County and six adjacent counties, including two in Michigan. The National Weather Service said a record 8.49 inches of rain fell on South Bend in a 24-hour period on Aug. 15-16. Officials estimate that more than 950 homes were damaged in St. Joseph County, with 100 sustaining major damage.

The eligible counties are St. Joseph, LaPorte, Starke, Marshall and Elkhart and, in Michigan, Berrien and Cass counties.

More information and applications are available at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.