Date: August 8, 2001
| For Release: Immediate
Date: August 8, 2001 |
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EASLEY DECLARES MADISON COUNTY A DISASTER AREA |
RALEIGH - Gov. Mike Easley today declared Madison County a disaster area. Flooding that occurred on Aug. 4 caused an estimated $900,000 in damage to the county.
State and local damage assessment teams list four Madison County residences as destroyed, eight homes with major damage, and 17 homes with minor damage. The estimated residential loss totals $548,800. Damage to public building and infrastructure was estimated at $109,000. Damage to business and church properties was estimated at $222,000.
"This is an example of the importance of having adequate funds to handle natural disasters," Easley said. "Several small disasters like the one in Madison County can be just as devastating as one huge disaster like Hurricane Floyd."
Under North Carolina's new disaster law, signed by Easley on June 15, Madison County qualifies for a Type 1 Disaster Declaration and is eligible to receive state disaster aid in the form of grant assistance.
Aid is in the form of grant assistance to the local government to make repairs to infrastructure and public facilities. The state covers 75 percent of the cost and the local government covers 25 percent of the cost. An individual family assistance program, which provides 100 percent state funded grants to individuals and families, will cover such items as housing repairs, temporary housing and replacement of some personal items.
State and local emergency response officials are continuing to monitor the situation in Madison County and are working to lessen the impact of rain and the resulting flooding that has occurred over the past two weekends. Among the response missions approved by the N.C. Department of Crime Control & Public Safety are State Highway Patrol helicopter support to local officials and shipment of a truckload of bottled water for residents with contaminated wells.
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