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ST. LOUIS — The amount of federal aid coming here to help with tornado recovery could be millions of dollars more than the numbers so far announced, a state official said Tuesday.

Gov. Mike Kehoe’s request for help for the city and other areas hit by the May 16 storms said preliminary assessments had identified $58 million in public costs so far and at least $18.7 million in individual resident needs.

But Mike O’Connell, a state spokesman, emphasized that those numbers are not set in stone: The assessors didn’t necessarily get to see every single thing. Inspectors are still looking at potential damage done outside the main tornado zone. And things could change as people and governments submit their specific requests.

“The number generally goes up,� he said.

That’s good news for city officials looking to put together as much money as possible to rebuild a swath of the city running from Forest Park and the Central West End through the heart of the North Side.

Thousands of buildings sustained damage during the tornado. Residents lost homes and belongings. Five people were killed. And afterward, first responders and city workers burned through overtime searching for survivors, patrolling the streets, clearing roads and making repairs. City officials have estimated the total cost of the disaster at more than $1.5 billion.

Some of that will be covered by insurance. City aldermen are working to allocate $30 million in interest earned on the NFL Rams settlement to the effort. State lawmakers are meeting this week in special session to consider a bill that would send ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ another $100 million to help with the response. Mayor Cara Spencer was in Jefferson City on Tuesday advocating for the bill.

But city officials have been counting on federal help, which is often a big part of recovery. After a tornado hit Joplin in 2011, causing about $2 billion in damage, the Federal Emergency Management Agency distributed $37.1 million to individuals harmed and $161.6 million to local governments handling the recovery.

President Donald Trump unlocked the same avenues for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ with an official disaster declaration Monday evening. At a press conference shortly after the news broke, Spencer called it “a critical first stepâ€� in getting federal dollars flowing.

And Tuesday marked the first full day for residents who sustained damage or losses not covered by insurance in the May 16 storm to ask for FEMA assistance online at or by phone at 1-800-621-3362.

Individuals can receive up to $770 for immediate needs, plus up to $43,600 for housing assistance, which can pay for temporary lodging and basic home repairs, and up to $43,600 more for other needs like medical bills, replacement of damaged vehicles and funeral expenses. 

The deadline to apply for most programs is 60 days following the president’s declaration.

O’Connell, the state spokesman, acknowledged that may not be enough for someone looking to rebuild a house.

“But the FEMA program is to get people back on their feet,� he said, “it’s not to restore things to the way things were before.�

Residents can, however, apply for loans from the Small Business Administration to cover larger costs like rebuilding a house, he said. Homeowners can apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence. And renters and homeowners can borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair other belongings, such as cars, furniture and clothing.

Help on the city’s costs paying workers, clearing debris and fixing broken infrastructure will come through differently.

O’Connell said the feds only pay for that after invoices come in, so the city will only be reimbursed for each project once it’s in progress.

The city will also need to help pay.

While the cost of individual programs are covered by FEMA and the state, public assistance requires local governments to cover 15%. And getting that sorted out will take time.

“It will take years to complete,� O’Connell said.