KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The flooding in East Tennessee cost counties millions of dollars and will likely lead the state to submit a disaster declaration to the federal government. The request would help get federal money to assist with the cleanup and rebuilding.
Most of the counties in our area are still out assessing damages. The threshold each county must reach to be eligible for federal money is different based on population. Across the state, damage must tally up to more than $9.53 million before Governor Bill Lee can submit a disaster declaration to President Trump.
"They're looking for two different types of damages," said Knoxville Fire Captain DJ Corcoran. "They're looking for individual homeowner damages and then they're also looking for public assistance."
Corcoran says counties are adding up all the damage to public property, government buildings, and even overtime for first responders.
In Knox County, that public assessment must surpass $1.6 million before FEMA steps in.
The threshold in Roane County is much less than the damage they have already assessed, which sits at 6 million dollars.
The same is true with Sevier County, which says total damages now exceed $7.5 million.
In Campbell County, the EMA director reports $2.2 million in damages so far.
After the assessment, the numbers go to the state and then to FEMA.
"They're looking at as early as next week for FEMA representatives to come to Knoxville and look at those assessments and determine if those are in fact accurate," said Corcoran. "What TEMA and what FEMA are looking at are people that are uninsured, people that don't have any means of recovering their damages lost."
If the disaster declaration is approved, FEMA will pay for 75% of the damages, TEMA will kick in about 12.5%. The individual agencies and counties are responsible for the rest.
If the declaration is approved, individuals with no insurance may qualify for some federal assistance, but they still need to contact their local city or county officials to be eligible.
There is no timeline for when the declaration could be submitted as officials wait for flood waters to recede in Middle and West Tennessee.
Below is a list compiled by 10News of all the damage each East Tennessee County has tallied up as of Tuesday, March 5.
Anderson County: did not reply
Blount County: 230 homes affected; 30 home with major damaged; 6 homes destroyed.
Campbell County: $2.2 million in damages.
Claiborne County: road damage $350,000, 26 homes damaged, 8 roads closed. Some left without drinking water.
Cocke County: did not reply
Cumberland County: did not reply
Grainger County: 12 homes minor damage; Hwy Dept $600,000 in damages to roads.
Hamblen County: Still compiling individual assistance, 200 structures damaged; $500,000 on roadways and public buildings. $236,000 threshold.
Jefferson County: 41 homes damaged; 5 businesses; More than $100,000 in damages; 10 roads closed, 3 one lane closures, 7 sink holes.
Roane County: $4 million road damage, $2 million flooding damage.
Knox County: Still compiling numbers.
Loudon County: Still compiling numbers.
Monroe County: did not reply
Morgan County: $272,000 in damages to roads.
Roane County: $4 million road damage, $2 million flooding damage.
Scott County: still compiling numbers
Sevier County: $7.5 million in damages; 236 structures with damage tallying up to $3,354,000. Municipal and county agencies have reported damages of approximately $4,162,100 to public property.