FEMA reports on flood claims

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Victims of last month's flooding in Northwest Missouri have requested less aid than expected, federal authorities said.

"At this stage, we're not seeing the numbers come in like they do at the front of a disaster," said Marv Nauman, spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Buchanan County residents have filed 35 claims, 62 have come from Holt County and 41 from Andrew County.

People with insurance should check on their eligibility, because FEMA may cover items not covered by insurance, Nauman said.

FEMA paid out $732,000 to Missourians as of Friday. The flooding began with rainfall on May 6.

Other help is available through the Emergency Watershed Protection program, which covers 75 percent of the cost to repair flood damage.

The Buchanan County Commission approved the program Friday, Andrew County approved a similar plan and several other counties are eligible, said Rodney Saunders of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Buchanan and Andrew counties.

The county serves as an agent for the program.

"What we can do with this program is help people repair broken levees," Saunders said.

Some levees have already been repaired, he said.

"People had to get their crops planted, so some people already repaired the levee breaks," Saunders said.

Funding for the program is pending approval by Congress.

Much of the cleanup in Buchanan County has been completed, including clearing log jams and hauling out trash that accumulated in Agency.

"We're about 100 percent done," said Eastern District Commissioner Dan Hausman. "It was full time for a couple of weeks."