The Associated Press

FRANKFORT - Gov. Paul Patton on Tuesday appealed the federal government's decision last month to deny Kentucky federal assistance for last month's storms that killed two people.

Patton had asked for Franklin County to be declared a federal disaster following storms there on Aug. 22.

Parts of the county were drenched with up to 6 inches of rain in about 90 minutes.

The state received word earlier this month that the storm's "severity and magnitude" were not enough for a major disaster declaration.

Eugenia McClease, 39, and her 6-year-old son, Jeffrey McClease, were killed when their house washed into a tributary of the Kentucky River.

The storm also destroyed 80 homes and damaged 60 others, according to a Kentucky Division of Emergency Management news release. Eight private bridges were destroyed and 15 vehicles were damaged, according to the release.

Many of the residents were elderly or low-income and only two had insurance to cover damages, according to the release.