WASHINGTON, DC. - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to California to supplement the state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a tsunami wave surge on March 11, 2011.

Federal funding is available to the state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the tsunami wave surge in Del Norte and Santa Cruz counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Sandy Coachman has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Coachman said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

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