THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 11, 1995 TAG: 9507110297
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
The Federal Emergency Management Agency had received 1,548 applications for financial aid from Virginia flood victims as of Monday, officials said.
FEMA closed its disaster application centers at Madison County High School and Rockbridge County High School on Sunday, but the agency continued to accept applications by telephone. The number to call is (800) 462-9029.
More than 1,200 homes were damaged or destroyed by flooding that began June 22. The state Department of Emergency Services has estimated damage at more than $120 million. Eight people were killed.
President Clinton added the city of Bedford and Bedford County on Monday to the list of federal disaster areas, making residents and businesses in 21 Virginia localities eligible for grants or low-interest loans. Disaster declarations also have been sought for Amherst, Franklin and Shenandoah counties.
In Roanoke, a mobile disaster recovery center was open for one day only Monday. Residents and businesses were able to apply for federal and state assistance at the center.
Also on Monday, briefings were held in Culpeper and Lexington for local government officials seeking money to repair roads, bridges and other public property. The federal government pays 75 percent of such repairs.
A list of places to get help issued Monday by the Virginia Department of Emergency Services includes hot lines for financial assistance with housing and insurance questions. Livestock killed in the flooding and now posing health risks can be removed with a phone call to 800-DEAD COW.
Twenty-five damage survey teams were scheduled for training in Lynchburg today and were expected to begin assessing damage to public property the following day.
Localities that have been declared disaster areas are Albemarle, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Campbell, Culpeper, Giles, Greene, Halifax, Madison, Orange, Pittsylvania, Rappahannock, Rockbridge and Warren counties and the cities of Bedford, Buena Vista, Lexington, Lynchburg and Staunton.
KEYWORDS: FLOOD RELIEF DISASTER by CNB