Local flood damages now surpass $15M for September storm
The total estimated loss for the county from the September flooding is
In a message to local government leaders, Bathke said that many have had unsafe or inhabitable basements and furnace and hot water heater damage. Much of that damage came through the 7-plus inches of rain the
Also coming into focus is the efforts of the
Homeowners and renters affected by the September disaster have about one month -- until
Affected residents should contact
Bathke reiterated that he expects a few thousand claims based on the amount of flood-related debris that was picked up at curbside following the flooding.
"We know there were many more than this affected due to the amount of debris on the curb," Bathke said in an email. "If a claim is denied, it may be as simple as a missing document. Visiting the Disaster Recovery Center can resolve this."
Bathke also advised that the National Flood Insurance Program is available to anyone through
The impact on Davison County's local governments is also increased by more than five-fold. Public and non-profit damages were tallied at more than
The numbers bring
Related to agricultural issues, ag-related losses should be submitted to the local
A majority of the James River is frozen underneath the
A majority of the James River is frozen underneath the
Fear of more flooding
In a discussion with the
At numerous locations along the James River, the river is at moderate flood stage. At Scotland, for example, the water level has climbed three feet in the last six days. Major flood stage conditions have been found at sites between Aberdeen and Huron, as releases from the
"This was bad, and next spring will be worse," Bathke said, based on some forecasts. "It will be worse if the frost goes as deep as they're saying because the moisture involved and the frozen ground will be a bad mix. The longer it takes to get the frost out of the ground, the worse the roads will be."
Frequent freezing and thawing can cause roads to heave and become damaged, which is a concern in rural areas.
"There are a lot of spots where you can't identify the channel anymore because there's that much water," Bathke said. "We're advising people to really be watching the ice movement because the river will rise and fall some with the ice."
Bathke, who also leads the county's
"We know we'll have to be ready," he said.
Commission Chairwoman
"The river will never be safe this year," she said. "Rivers and lakes are two different animals right now."
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