FEMA Tours Flooded Broward Neighborhoods

FEMA lends hand to local disaster assessment teams

FEMA workers were joining local and state disaster assessment teams to tour rain-soaked areas of Broward County Thursday after heavy flooding last week and early this week damaged several homes.

Three FEMA crews were out helping to assess the damage and compile data on the flooding which left several without dozens of homes in Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park and neighboring communities.

Officials will present their findings to Governor Rick Scott's office, which will make a final determination on whether to declare it a disaster area and allow residents to receive loans.

"Does the damage rise to a level that is beyond state and local capabilities? That is the question and that is what we are here to find out," said FEMA spokesman Jim Homstad.

If the damage is beyond the abilities of the local and state agencies then the federal government could provide reimbursements to home owners for their damages and losses.

Over 12 inches of rain were reported in Fort Lauderdale from Friday to Monday. More than six inches of rain was reported in Oakland Park between 7 a.m. Sunday and 7 a.m. Monday by South Florida Water Management District, most of it falling after midnight.  Over five inches of rain was reported in Lauderdale Lakes and Fort Lauderdale for the same period.

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