The U.S. government has designated 82 counties in North Carolina as natural disaster areas due to drought conditions.
Governor Josh Stein stated that the designation was made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers in the affected counties may be eligible for emergency loan assistance and other disaster relief programmes.
The specific counties were not immediately confirmed, but the latest U.S. drought monitor indicates that the entire state is experiencing some level of drought, with 95 per cent classified as severe, extreme, or exceptional.
Data also shows that 97.3 per cent of the southeast region is under some level of drought.
According to the USDA, disaster designations must be requested by a state governor or an authorised representative.
The USDA defines eligible natural disasters as "disasters in which damaging weather conditions or other adverse natural occurrence phenomena have substantially affected farmers, causing severe production losses."
Source: Fox Carolina
