A bomb cyclone hit Washington State on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 bringing high winds, heavy rainfall, fallen trees, and downed power lines, causing millions of residents to be without power and internet, leaving significant damage behind.
The storm inflicted at least $18.6 million in damage to public infrastructure in Snohomish County, which is important as the costs in damages are needed for officials to know how much money is needed for emergency funding from the federal government.
“The complexity and scale of this storm is unlike anything we’ve experienced in recent times,” said Governor Jay Inslee in his Nov. 26 press release.
Many homes have been destroyed by fallen trees, leading to individuals like King County Councilmember Sarah Perry trying to get help for these homeowners. King County suffered more the $11 million in damage.
The recovery process will be tough and is still ongoing, but Perry along with other lawmakers are determined to make this recovery process a speedy one.
“Councilmember Reagan Dunn, who represents the Maple Valley, Enumclaw, Renton area, and I, put together legislation to ask the Executive to expedite the processes,” said Perry.
Executives are trying their hardest to get approvals for building damages, which will allow for life to return to normal for everyone as quickly as possible.
Bob Brock, a man whose car was destroyed by a fallen tree, is wishing for these relief programs as soon as possible.
“Most insurance companies only cover a limited amount for tree and debris removal if it doesn’t damage a house or a car,” Brock explained. “Even with the deductible, I’m probably looking at a couple thousand dollars out of pocket. Not as much as the folks who have had huge damage to their houses.”
Getting federal government relief will be crucial to deal with the damages and return to normalcy.
For more information:
King County residents urged to report bomb cyclone damages before Dec. 31 deadline
