SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Only eight days remain for any resident who had property damages or other losses as a result of the recent floods that occurred from September 21 - October 3, 2008, to register for Commonwealth-federal disaster assistance.

Thursday, January 15 is the deadline for residents within the 21 designated municipalities to apply for a wide range of local, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal disaster assistance programs. The designated municipalities are Arroyo, Cabo Rojo, Guánica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Gurabo, Humacao, Juncos, Lajas, Las Piedras, Maunabo, Naguabo, Patillas, Peñuelas, Ponce, Salinas, San Lorenzo, Santa Isabel, Villalba, Yabucoa and Yauco.

Those who have applied for assistance can stay in touch with recovery specialists by using the FEMA Helpline 1-800-621- 3362 or the TTY line for hearing and speech impaired at 1-800-462-7585 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., until further notice. On the Web, disaster information remains available 24 hours a day at www.disasterassistance.gov.

Available assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for renters, homeowners and businesses of all sizes to cover uncompensated property losses, and other programs that help meet eligible disaster-related needs.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.