OHIO — The White House announced Thursday that President Joe Biden declared a major disaster for Ohio after multiple tornadoes struck several Ohio counties in March. 

The declaration makes federal funding available to help those affected by the deadly tornadoes. The funds will go toward Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Hancock, Licking, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Richland and Union counties. 

On March 14, a total of eight tornadoes tore through those counties in central Ohio, which killed three people and left more than 20 others injured. Several homes were either destroyed or badly damaged.

People in the affected counties will be allowed to apply for temporary housing, home repair grants and low-cost loans for property losses that were not able to be covered by insurance, according to the White House.

On March 17, DeWine had declared a state of emergency, which made all relevant state departments and agencies help lend their services, equipment, supplies and personnel to assist in recovery efforts. Then on April 19, after requesting a disaster declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, DeWine also requested a Rapid Disaster Declaration from the Small Business Administration.

Damage assessments show 63 homes and/or businesses in the county have uninsured damages, which was within the necessary threshold to apply for a Rapid Disaster Declaration. 

"Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments," the White House press release states.