Ocean Shores has joined other impacted communities and Grays Harbor County by declaring an emergency disaster in the wake of recent flooding and storm damage.
Mayor Crystal Dingler said on Friday she made the emergency declaration to help those affected receive funds for repairs and cleanup efforts.
A new problem discovered in Ocean Shores is a washed-out culvert off Magellan Avenue in the northeast part of the city. The culvert is now undermining the road and it could be expensive to fix, Dingler said. The culvert is now a major concern since it runs under several other roads and properties.
The declaration also is intended to help other impacted properties, such as the Ocean Shores/North Beach Senior Center that was flooded off Ocean Shores Boulevard on Jan 5. The mayor said the issue there appeared to be a catch basin.
The city will be applying for funds under the emergency to examine the culvert and have an engineer determine what might be done, but the road is closed because of the damage that already occurred.
“There are just some things that are bigger than we can handle,” Dingler said of the storm damage. “We don’t know what the cost of this will be, but it needs some extensive work and we have blocked it off. Fortunately, you can get into that road from both ends.”
Added to the list will be the sand-filled geotube structures designed to bolster a hillside and dunes just south of the jetty. The geotubes have been undermined by the storms and heavy surf conditions recently, causing them to tear and fail in several spots.
“We lost another two or three feet on the bottom,” the mayor reported.
The city is moving to fence off the hillside above the geotubes and is using markers to record any shifts in the sediment and dunes. The city also is working with the National Weather Service to get more timely and comprehensive weather forecasting in place as well as to document the storms that caused the recent damage.
“That could also help us with the over-topping of the jetty,” Dingler said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also will be receiving those weather reports, she added.
“They are talking about things that could be done down there,” Dingler said of the Corps, which has been asked to assist in possible solutions.
Another area of concern is flooding on Marine View Drive that covered the road during the recent heavy rains.
Grays Harbor County Commissioners also made an emergency declaration last week, which means county and city residents who sustained damages from the recent flooding may now qualify for federal and state assistance.
Emergency Management Deputy Director Charles Wallace said that during disaster situations, government agencies such as the Small Business Association and FEMA are available.
“There are many different programs that can support the affected homeowners, businesses and governments. However, there are certain monetary thresholds which must be reached for damage to homes and businesses before they are authorized to provide aid,” Wallace said in urging early reporting of any damages.
“It is essential for everyone who received damage from the flooding and/or the landslides to complete a preliminary damage report (online). When you fill out the report, you are assisting everyone affected by adding your damages to the total. Remember, the possibility of receiving assistance from government programs cannot be guaranteed, however, the more businesses and people who report, the closer we arrive to the threshold for assistance.”
Report Damage
Renters and homeowners can begin to report damages to Grays Harbor County Emergency Management at this link: http://ift.tt/1xZGupA
People needing housing assistance or experiencing landlord /tenant issues are encouraged to call Coastal Community Action Program (CCAP) at (360) 533-5100.
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