Two counties have been added to the list of those who now qualify for unemployment assistance tied to the tragic tornado outbreak last week.

Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced Thursday Perry County and Clarke County has been added to the federal disaster declaration that provides assistance for workers who became unemployed as a direct result of the recent severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding.

“In most cases, people affected by these storms will be able to receive regular unemployment compensation,” Surtees said. “However, there are circumstances where regular unemployment compensation is no applicable, and that’s where Disaster Unemployment Assistance comes in. If you believe you are entitled to these benefits, I urge you to file a claim to see if you are eligible.”

Perry and Clarke join, Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Green, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumer, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Washington and Walker counties included in the declaration.

People who live in or worked in these counties and became unemployed due to the severe storms of April 15 and later, may be eligible for the assistance under the Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program, which was triggered when President Obama designed the area a disaster area on April 28.

Claims can be filed through DIR’s website at www.dir.alabama.gov or by calling (866) 234-5382. The deadline to fill a DUA claim is June 3, for those in Chambers, Clarke and Perry counties.