Governor Terry Branstad sent a request for a federal disaster declaration Wednesday to the president for Benton, Marshall, Story and Tama counties for the July 10th wind storm. The designation if approved, would provide federal funds for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged public facilities and debris removal.
The chief of the State Emergency Management Division’s Readiness Bureau, Joyce Flinn, says their assessments put the damage amount in the at $10.5-million. Flinn says that includes damage to public buildings and other damage.
Flinn says the assessments include the utility restoration and debris removal costs as well. The storm began in central Iowa and the winds gradually picked up speed and did the most damage in the four counties in the disaster request.
Flinn says Benton County had the most damage in the assessments, about $7.4 million, with the town of Vinton having the highest damage totals after taking a direct hit from the winds. Tama County had the second highest damage totals at $1.9-million.