Federal and state grants and loans totaling more than $5 million have been approved to help North Carolinians in 18 counties recover from the April 16 severe storms and tornadoes.

Through Wednesday, May 4:

$2.9 million has been approved from FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program for temporary housing and home repairs.

$1.08 million has been approved in Other Needs Assistance, a joint state-federal program that helps replace personal property and pay medical, dental, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs.

$1.2 million has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses.

Other figures:

6,850 people have registered with FEMA for state and federal disaster assistance.

3,810 damaged homes have been inspected by FEMA.

Nearly 3,800 loan packages have been issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loan program. These loans are available to homeowners and renters as well as businesses and nonprofit organizations of all sizes.

More than 2,750 residents have visited disaster recovery centers operated jointly by FEMA and North Carolina Emergency Management, with support from SBA.

State and FEMA Community Relations specialists who continue to go door-to-door providing information in English and Spanish to people affected by the tornadoes have visited more than 9,600 homes and talked to more than 9,400 people. They have also visited 1,483 businesses, 126 community organizations and more than 630 faith-based organizations.

Individuals can register for disaster assistance with FEMA by going online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov  or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585.

President Obama issued a Major Disaster Declaration on April 19 that made federal aid available to supplement the state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding. In addition to Individual Assistance for disaster survivors, federal funding also is available to state and eligible local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations, for debris removal and emergency protective measures.

The North Carolina counties under the disaster declaration are Bertie, Bladen, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Onslow, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Wake and Wilson.