Recovery assistance may be available

The flooding might be over, but for many homeowners in Snohomish and King counties, recovery is still around the corner.

Residents might have somewhere to turn for help.

First, homeowners should submit damage assessments to the Emergency Services Coordinating Agency, a government agency operated by the cities of Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Lake Forest Park, Mukilteo and the town of Woodway, officials said.

Reports can be submitted online at www.esca1.com, or by calling ESCA at (425) 776-3722. The damage assessments don’t have to be 100 percent accurate, officials said.

Preliminary reports help ESCA determine whether or not the area is eligible for flood relief funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Chandra Fox, a coordinator with ESCA.

“It is important for folks to report preliminary damages, because that is how we know (if FEMA can help),” Fox said.

At press time, it was unclear if FEMA’s damage threshold would be met.

Unfortunately, most standard homeowners and business insurance policies do not cover losses due to flooding, according to the Northwest Insurance Council.

For more information, or to learn about flood insurance, the NWIC recommends that homeowners contact their insurance company, or visit www.floodsmart.gov.