Sebastian, Crawford counties assessing damages after flash flood

Aug. 26--The exact extent of the damage Sebastian and Crawford counties sustained as a result of severe weather on Saturday has yet to be determined.

Damage assessments are underway in the two counties following the flash flooding that took place Saturday.

According to the National Weather Service, a record 4.04 inches of rain fell on Fort Smith Saturday. The resulting flood prompted multiple swift-water rescues from abandoned vehicles, displaced six people in Fort Smith and Sebastian County and reached into 38 homes in Fort Smith, 19 in Lavaca and seven in Barling. One woman in Kibler was also displaced. In addition, Debra Stevens, 47, of Fort Smith, was killed when swift waters washed her car off the roadway near the 5800 block of Kinkead Avenue before 7 a.m. Saturday, and she was unable to exit her vehicle.

Travis Cooper, deputy director of the Sebastian County Office of Emergency Management, said Sunday afternoon no other additional damage had been reported at that point. Residents who have sustained damage are asked to report it by contacting the Office of Emergency Management at (479) 783-3932. If no one is available to answer the phone, residents can leave a message with their name, phone number and an address on where the flooded home or resident might be.

The Office of Emergency Management will have a meeting with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management today regarding the more than 70 damage assessments it completed on Saturday, Cooper said. If more damage is reported via telephone, the office will go out and assess them as needed. The county must meet a certain damage value threshold, an amount greater than $400,000, before it can receive state or federal assistance. Cooper estimated the office is currently about 90 percent complete with its assessments.

One place that sustained damage during the flash flooding was Union Christian Academy in Fort Smith. The school will be closed Monday and Tuesday, and will temporarily relocate classes starting on Wednesday, according to a Saturday news release. The Pre-K through fourth grades will meet at Central Christian Church, and the fifth through 12th grades will meet at Grand Avenue Baptist Church until at least Oct. 1.

Union Christian Academy will not be operational for at least a month due to flooding and contamination across the campus, the release states. The floodwater caused damage in 50% of the high school, 88% of the middle school, 86% of the elementary school, 50% of the preschool and the entirety of the cafeteria, Eagles Nest and "The U."

"The floodwaters carry with them contaminants, so the floors cannot simply be dried," the release states. "To ensure a safe environment for students, faculty and staff, ServPro has been contracted. They will remove polluted carpet, sheet rock and insulation, as well as disinfect the necessary areas. There is a one month projection for the removal, drying, cleaning and repair work; however, this will be re-evaluated as the project continues. Despite the damage and challenges, the school does plan to remain on schedule."

The school will also lose income in various departments, including, according to the release, the cafeteria and athletics. Additional expenses include insurance deductibles, temporary relocation costs, replacement of classroom and administrative materials and incidentals, among others. The current estimate is these unbudgeted expenses will be more than $44,000. Those wanting to help support Union Christian Academy can find more information at the school's website.

When asked about additional displacements in Crawford County, County Emergency Management Director Brad Thomas said he was notified by the Red Cross another homeowner, this one in Van Buren, requested short-term assistance from the organization Saturday night. Most of the heavy rainfall the county sustained during the flash flooding took place south of U.S. 64 in rural areas in the Arkansas River bottoms. The county road department will be assessing damage there today.

Thomas said he knew of only a handful of homes, possibly three to four, that were affected by the flood.

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