The Federal Emergency Management Agency will join state and local officials in reviewing damages and costs after heavy rains caused massive flooding in three Upper Peninsula counties, Michigan officials said Friday.
FEMA on Friday agreed to grant a request by Gov. Rick Snyder for a review of damages in Gogebic, Houghton and Menominee counties.
The request is the next step in the process of asking for federal assistance, according to the state's emergency operations agency.
"We are committed to exploring all options to help our residents in the affected counties,” Snyder said. “A joint assessment confirms reported damages, which is a critical step to make our case for federal assistance. This is part of the procedure in the potential request of a Presidential Disaster declaration.”
The joint Preliminary Damage Assessment teams are expected to begin gathering information in affected communities as early as next week and will obtain the estimated response and recovery costs, focusing on the number of damaged roads, buildings, displaced individuals, and threats to health and safety, according to a news release.
Snyder declared a state of disaster in Houghton and Menominee counties on Monday after parts of the western Upper Peninsula were hit with heavy rains and floods, causing damaged roadways, impassable streets, and the death of at least one person. He declared a state of disaster in Gogebic County on Thursday.
Contact Hasan Dudar at hdudar@freepress.com.
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