President Obama Declares Disaster for Morrill, 17 Other Nebraska Counties

President Barack Obama has issued an emergency disaster declaration for 18 Nebraska counties for flooding along the Missouri and Platte rivers.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the declaration Saturday. It was requested Friday by Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman.

The declaration allows FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance.

The Missouri River flows along the state's eastern border. The Platte forms from the North Platte and South Platte rivers at the city of North Platte, cutting through central Nebraska and to the southeast. Both rivers are swollen because of spring rains and snowpack. They're expected to remain high into fall.

The counties included in the declaration are Boyd, Burt, Cass, Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Douglas, Garden, Knox, Lincoln, Morrill, Nemaha, Otoe, Richardson, Sarpy, Scotts Bluff, Thurston and Washington.