To date, more than 300 FEMA personnel have been deployed to support disaster operations in the Middle-Atlantic and Northeastern states hit by flooding that began January 19. The Small Business Administration has also deployed 178 personnel, and 930 American Red Cross staff have joined some 1,800 local ARC volunteers in the affected areas. According to state officials, there are now 25 confirmed fatalities (13 in Pennsylvania, 10 in New York, two in Vermont). The National Weather Service says warmer temperatures with precipitation are predicted in the Mid-Atlantic states through mid-day Saturday. Rain in Pennsylvania yesterday (Thursday, January 25) caused renewed localized flooding in some areas. A new major winter storm is forecast for tonight in New England.
Yesterday, President Clinton announced that all remaining Pennsylvania counties had been added to the major disaster declaration he signed last Sunday, making all 67 counties in the Commonwealth eligible for federal disaster aid to individuals and families. The following Pennsylvania counties have also been designated eligible to receive public assistance (to repair or rebuild public buildings and infrastructure) and hazard mitigation funds: Allegheny, Bedford, Bradford, Clinton, Dauphin, Huntingdon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Potter, Susquehanna, Wayne, Westmoreland and Wyoming.
FEMA's Disaster Field Office in Harrisburg is coordinating federal disaster operations in Pennsylvania. Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are opening today in the following Pennsylvania counties: Allegheny (in the city of Monroeville), Bedford (Everett), Blair (Altoona), Dauphin (Harrisburg), Lackawanna (Scranton), Luzerne (Plains) Lycoming (Williamsport), Mifflin (Lewistown), Northumberland (Sunbury) and Westmoreland (Greensburg). Flood victims should visit their nearest DRC to learn what types of assistance are available and discuss their needs with representatives from the various agencies involved in the relief effort.
As of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, January 26, FEMA's teleregistration line had received about 14,000 applications for disaster assistance from flood victims in Pennsylvania (11,812), New York (942), Maryland (441) and West Virginia (650). Individuals and businesses may apply for disaster assistance by calling the toll-free number, 1-800-462-9029, or 1-800-462-7585 (TDD) for the hearing and speech impaired.
The number of Pennsylvania flood victims housed in shelters Thursday night dropped dramatically, from approximately 3,100 persons in 116 shelters Wednesday night to only 224 persons in nine shelters.
A FEMA Disaster Field Office is opening today in Owings Mills, Maryland, to coordinate federal disaster operations in the five Maryland counties designated eligible for federal assistance: Allegheny, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett and Washington. Today or tomorrow, a Disaster Recovery Center will open in each of these counties.
A Disaster Field Office also opened today in Charleston, West Virgina, to coordinate Federal flood relief in that state. On Thursday, President Clinton issued a major disaster declaration for 21 W. Va. counties, making residents and business owners there eligible for assistance. Designated counties are Brooke, Grant, Greenbriar, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy, Marshall, Mason, Monroe, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Summers, Tucker, Tyler, Webster, Wetzel and Wood. Initial reports indicate 8,325 homes affected and over $24.2 million in damages to public facilities and infrastructure. The same counties have been designated eligible for hazard mitigation funds and--with the exception of Hampshire, Mason and Wood Counties--are also eligible for public assistance.
Late yesterday, President Clinton declared the state of New York to be a federal disaster area, and six counties (Chemung, Delaware, Schoharie, Steuben, Sullivan and Ulster) were designated to receive individual assistance. Seven FEMA/State preliminary damage assessment teams continue to survey impacted areas, and additional county designations are possible. Initial county designations for public assistance and hazard mitigation are under review. By this afternoon, FEMA had received 537 applications for individual assistance. A Disaster Field Office is being established in Oneonta, NY (Delaware Co.) to coordinate federal operations.
Maryland also received a Presidential disaster declaration yesterday, and preliminary damage assessments have been completed in the counties initially designated (Allegany, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett and Washington), and first reports indicate 684 homes, 18 mobile homes, and 43 businesses damaged or destroyed. FEMA Community Relations personnel are being deployed to ensure that all flood victims are aware of the types of assistance available and how to register.
Preliminary damage assessments have been completed in eight flood-stricken Ohio counties, and a disaster declaration request is under review by FEMA. The eight affected counties are: Columbiana, Meigs, Lawrence, Monroe, Jefferson, Hamilton, Belmont and Washington. Ohio state officials report more than 2,000 homes and businesses are affected, with approximately $5 million in uninsured damages, and they estimate public facility and infrastructure losses total approximately $11 million.
Several other states have also been hit by recent flooding. In Virginia, federal-state preliminary damage assessments are underway in eleven counties (Allegheny, Augusta, Bath, Botetourt, Frederick, Highland, Loudon, Rochbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Warren) and two incorporated cities (Covington and Harrisonburg). In Vermont, preliminary damage assessments began yesterday in five counties: Caledonia, Chittenden, Franklin, Washington and Windsor. Nine counties have been affected in New Jersey, and the state may seek Small Business Administration disaster loans.