FEMA clears, reduces debt for some eruption victims

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has cleared or reduced the debts of nearly 40 Kilauea eruption victims who had previously been told to return federal disaster relief payments.

Specialists from FEMA and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency invited dozens of disaster relief recipients to meet between Aug. 5 and 9 and review their cases.

FEMA had previously told 77 of the 1,002 Kilauea disaster relief applicants that they would have to return some or all of their payments after routine evaluations.

After meeting with specialists, 35 applicants’ debts were cleared, for a total of $153,536.81. An additional three applicants had their debts reduced by a total of $16,352.78.