(WWJ) Apparently, the damage was worse than officials initially thought.
Michigan Gov. Whitmer has asked President Joe Biden to add Macomb and Oakland counties to a disaster declaration that was approved for a portion of the metro Detroit region last month, in the wake of storms that brought torrential rain in late June.
The request follows the completion of a joint preliminary damage assessment with federal and local officials to review and validate the most severely damaged homes across Macomb and Oakland counties.
In a 20-page letter, the state says there were more than 1,000 reports of damage.
In the Birmingham, two apartment buildings were flooded, officials said. The Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital and Henry Ford Macomb Hospital had their IT systems, radiology data system, and monitors in emergency rooms all affected by flooding. The DMC Huron Valley Hospital in Oakland County also experienced some facility flooding, the report found.
“As we continue to assess the widespread impact these storms had on our communities, we are working with our local and federal partners to ensure that all resources are available to help our residents as they recover,” said Gov. Whitmer. “A presidential declaration for these additional counties will unlock even greater resources to help residents who suffered loss of personal property and untold damage to their homes.”
If approved, the federal declaration would allow homeowners to apply for grants and low-cost loans to help with repairs and housing.
Whitmer earlier requested federal assistance for Ionia, Washtenaw and Wayne counties and the City of Detroit for costs incurred by state and local governments due to damage to public facilities, as well as private property.