BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Central Alabama residents hurt by last year’s drought are running out of time to apply for federal small-business assistance.

The Small Business Administration says April 25 is the deadline for residents of seven counties to apply for disaster loans linked to the drought.

Assistance is available for Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Saint Clair, Shelby and Talladega counties, which had some of the worst conditions during the dry spell.

The latest federal statistics show 70 percent of Alabama is abnormally dry or experiencing drought conditions. But that’s a huge improvement from December, when nearly the entire state was locked in a severe drought.

Today, the state’s worst drought conditions are in southern Jefferson County and northern Shelby County, plus small sections of Tuscaloosa and Walker counties.