In the wake of flooding caused by an estimated 8 inches of rain that fell on Tuesday, St. Clair County officials have collected more than 500 property damage assessment reports, according to St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern.
Flood damage occurred throughout the county, including Belleville, East St. Louis, Cahokia Heights, O’Fallon, Shiloh, Swansea, Dupo, the Scott Air Force Base area and Millstadt, Kern said.
“This was a countywide event,” Kern said Wednesday afternoon. “That rain really kind of centered itself over St. Clair County and it really took its toll.”
Much of the damage in Belleville occurred when Richland Creek overflowed.
Jason Poole, who leads the Belleville Public Works Department as well as the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, said multiple city parks were damaged in the flooding along Richland Creek.
Mayor Patty Gregory said no injuries were reported in the city, but police officers had to stop children from swimming in the flood waters in a city park. It was just one of the 63 calls they responded to during the storm Tuesday.
“You never know the strength of those floods once they get started,” she said.
Gregory said the city did not yet have a number of the homes that were damaged in the flooding.
Kern noted that several areas that flooded along Richland Creek in Belleville Tuesday occurred in sections that did not have homes because about 25 homes were removed from the area as part of a “buyout” plan in the late 1990s when he was the city’s mayor.
“It really proves the point that these buyouts work,” he said. “I cannot imagine the damage that would have occurred if those homes had still been there.”
Kern, who issued a county disaster declaration on Tuesday, does not yet have an estimated value of the damage caused by flooding on Tuesday.
St. Clair County residents and business owners who have property damage caused by flooding Tuesday have been asked to fill out a damage assessment on this form. You can all see more information on the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency’s Facebook page.
After county officials get information from residents and municipalities about the amount of damage they had, the county will send that to state officials in a request for Gov. J.B. Pritzker to declare a state disaster.
Kern said he spoke to the governor on Tuesday and he hopes to hear by next week whether a state declaration will be made. State officials were in St. Clair County Wednesday checking on the amount of damage caused by the flooding on Tuesday, Kern said.
If Pritzker makes a state declaration, then the state can ask President Joe Biden to declare a federal disaster declaration.
That’s what happened in 2022.
Eight to 12 inches of rain fell in the St. Louis region on July 26, 2022. Pritzker declared a state disaster proclamation after the storm and then Biden declared a federal disaster proclamation in October 2022.
As part of this federal declaration, St. Clair County officials requested about $15 million as part of a “buyout” plan but Kern noted that the county is still waiting for final approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“So people need to be patient,” Kern said. “It takes time to get the paperwork through and get all the foot work done to apply for these funds, but they are worthwhile.”
If a federal disaster declaration is made, possible aid for residents includes individual assistance, a buyout for their property and Small Business Administration loans.
Most Popular
Comments / 0