Six additional counties, including Burke and Jefferson, were approved Saturday for federal disaster aid after last weekend's severe weather.

Georgia's Emergency Management Agency announced in an e-mail Saturday that President Bush had expanded his federal disaster declaration to include Bartow, Burke, DeKalb, Floyd, Jefferson and Polk counties. A declaration was made for Fulton County on Thursday.

Gov. Sonny Perdue asked for expanded federal help after assessing damage last week, according to a news release from the state agency. Those affected by the storms in the designated counties are now in line for individual assistance for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related expenses.

"I think it's great they want to help," Burke County Commissioner Henry Tinley said Saturday. "There's a lot of damage people don't think about like clean up and repairing houses."

The president also declared that Burke, Fulton and Jefferson counties will receive federal funds to offset 75 percent of the cost of the initial emergency response, such as debris removal and restoration of damaged public facilities.

Jefferson County Commission Chairman William Rabun said more than 35 homes there were destroyed and many others were damaged. More than $5 million in damage had been recorded as of Friday, Mr. Rabun said.

"I hope FEMA will come in and take care of the situation quickly," he said. "Some of these people have lost everything."

Reach Stephanie Toone at (706) 823-3215 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.