Story originally printed in the Coulee News or online at www.couleenews.com
Published - Wednesday, July 09, 2008
FEMA: Damage, impact of severe weather justifies La Crosse County disaster declaration
La Crosse County’s federal disaster declaration raised eyebrows for those who thought the county had escaped serious damage from severe weather June 7-8.
The same storms submerged communities, crippled roads and destroyed crops in counties south of La Crosse. But the damage caused by a tornado and storms pushed La Crosse County past the threshold for declaration, said Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Michael Skeels.
FEMA doesn’t have set guidelines for the qualification; the declaration is based on observable damage, he said.
The June 24 declaration opens the door for La Crosse County homeowners, renters and business owners to apply for federal aid for damage not covered by insurance. Eighteen people have applied as of Wednesday, Skeels said.
“There are a lot of people out there still hurting and trying to get things cleaned up,” said La Crosse Emergency Management Coordinator Keith Butler.
The towns of Barre and Bangor were the hardest hit by a tornado and heavy rains, said Butler.
A funnel cloud touched down in the town of Barre about 5:45 p.m. June 7 and traveled east across Hwy. M, blowing a shed off its foundation and destroying a house and machine shed, according to the report. The storms also downed trees and caused a mudslide June 8.
Trees collapsed onto roads, a law enforcement squad car and a barn June 7 in the town of Bangor. Three mudslides were reported June 8 on Hwy. 162.
A cemetery and roads flooded and a well and bridge were damaged in the town of Shelby, according to the report.
A bridge washed out, trees were downed and a mudslide was reported in the town of Washington. Similar damage from the storms were reported in the town of Greenfield.
The storms flooded basements, intersections and streets and knocked down power lines and trees in La Crosse, the report stated. Lightning also struck a North Side house, though damage was minimal, said La Crosse Fire Chief Gregg Cleveland.
Onalaska and the towns of Onalaska, Campbell, Farmington, Hamilton and Medary reported minor damage.
Wisconsin residents had received about $23.2 million in federal aid as of Wednesday, but local figures were not available, said FEMA spokeswoman Debra Young.
La Crosse County municipalities have not been declared eligible for federal assistance. Municipal leaders will meet with FEMA officials Tuesday in hopes the affected cities and towns will qualify for the declaration and relief aid, Butler said. Municipal damage is estimated at $302,000, with $200,000 in damage to roads and bridges alone, he said.
For more information
Homeowners, renters and business owners who had storm and flood-related damage should register or update their information to the Federal Emergency Management Agency by calling 1-800-621-3362 or visiting www.fema.gov. They can receive information about Small Business Administration disaster loans and get help with the application process by calling 1-800-659-2955 or by visiting the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov.
All stories copyright 2006 Coulee News and other attributed sources.