Everett, Wash. Published: Sunday, January 11, 2009
As waters seep away, state starts to total the damage
The estimate for just roads and state property stands at $125 million.
By Donna Gordon Blankinship Associated Press
SEATTLE -- It could have been worse.
That's the conclusion of Washington state officials as they start to assess the damage from this week's floods, mudslides and avalanches.
Two possibly flood-related deaths were reported Saturday, when the bodies of a man and a woman were found inside a car that ran off a road and flipped into a water-filled ditch in Lewis County west of Centralia. Washington State Patrol Trooper Craig Otherwise, no deaths or serious injuries directly related to the flooding had been reported and the rivers were going down Saturday, said Linda Crerar, a spokeswoman for the state Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray. Rescue operations had reached all but the most remote areas.
Gov. Chris Gregoire gave what she called a very preliminary estimate for damage to roads and state property of $125 million. U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced $2 million in federal aid, with more to come after the damage assessment is completed.
No estimate had been made concerning personal property damage, but officials said the floods were devastating to many.
"The personal and financial losses flood victims suffered are extensive," King County Executive Ron Sims said.
Residents in the small south King County town of Pacific were blaming the Army Corps of Engineers for flooding on the White River that forced about 1,200 people from their homes.
Corps officials said there was no way to know whether their release of water from an upstream reservoir called Mud Mountain Dam caused the river to flood in Pacific.
The Corps' Ken Brettmann said the water volume released was the same volume released in November 2006, when Pacific experienced just "nuisance flooding." But because the same volume caused a much more damaging flood this time, Brettmann says it's likely other factors were at work. He said creeks feeding the river may have been carrying more water than usual.
Don Wagner, regional administrator for the state Department of Transportation, said one dike on the Chehalis River was about an inch away from being overwhelmed when the river crested late Thursday.
On Saturday, the governor expanded the state's emergency declaration issued Dec. 24, after record snow fell across the state, to include this week's flooding.
The expansion gives local governments another opportunity to apply for federal money to repair roads, government buildings and other property.
Gregoire said the Federal Emergency Management Agency also approved Washington state's request for an extension of time to file for federal reimbursement of extraordinary snow removal costs.
Residents and businesses have been asked to report storm and flooding damage to their local emergency management agencies.
Most major roads had been reopened, but U.S. Highway 12 from Packwood to Morton and Blewett Pass remained at least partially closed Saturday.
Workers were cleaning up mudslide debris on Highway 12 and planned to have one lane one opened during daylight hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
