EASTON, Pa. — Damages from the July 16 flash floods across the Lehigh Valley have eclipsed $10 million, but federal support is not guaranteed, county executives are warning the public.
Northampton County Emergency Management Services said in a release it's working alongside Federal Emergency Management Agency joint assessment teams, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and municipal officials to conduct assessments for both individual assistance and public assistance following the floods.
However, current damage estimates are less than 50% of the $23 million benchmark of a Disaster Declaration needed for the funding.
- Northampton County Emergency Management Services, along with state and federal agencies, have estimated more than $10 million in damage throughout Northampton County following the July 16 flash floods
- Current estimates fall below the threshold for a Disaster Declaration, meaning federal recovery funds are currently not guaranteed
- Of 315 residential units examined, 14 properties have been assessed as experiencing major damage, and five as being destroyed
Preliminary public assistance damage cost estimates currently set countywide damages at $10,181,006.57, with some of the affected municipalities still working to report their estimated costs.
Estimated costs include $400,000 in damages to county bridges, about $1.6 million in damages throughout Forks Township, more than $1 million in damages throughout Lower Mount Bethel Township and $3.7 million in damages across Palmer Township.
Public Assistance County and State Threshold Figures for 2022-23 state Northampton County must cumulatively document a minimum of $1,389,502.44 in Public Assistance damages.
“Unfortunately, assistance from the federal government is not guaranteed."Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure
Furthermore, the state must document a minimum of $23,014,795 for any county or the Commonwealth to be awarded a Disaster Declaration.
Damages to 13 municipalities
The organizations were on the scene throughout the county conducting assessments on August 2, 3, 8 and 9.
“Unfortunately, assistance from the federal government is not guaranteed,” Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure said.
As of Monday, 13 total public entities reported municipal damages, including:
• Bangor (infrastructure, roadways)
• Northampton County (bridges)
• East Bangor (roadways)
• Forks Township (infrastructure, roadways)
• Lower Mount Bethel Township (roadways)
• Nazareth (roadways, park)
• Palmer Township (infrastructure, parks/recreation)
• Pen Argyl (roads)
• Plainfield Township (infrastructure, roadways)
• Stockertown (park, recreational trail)
• Tatamy (municipal park)
• Washington Township (infrastructure, roadways)
• West Easton (roadways)
Disaster declarations
Seven municipalities have enacted Disaster Declarations because of damages. They are Bangor (7/17), and Forks (7/20), Lower Mount Bethel (7/16), Palmer (7/21), Plainfield (7/18), Upper Mount Bethel (7/20) and Washington (7/17) townships.
A total of 315 residential units in 15 municipalities were assessed during the FEMA Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments team visit.
They were in Bangor (59), East Bangor (7), Nazareth (4), Portland (1). Stockertown (1), Wilson (2), and the townships of Bushkill (1), Forks (17), Lower Mount Bethel (121), Palmer (2), Plainfield (20), Upper Mount Bethel Township (9), Upper Nazareth (1) and Washington (65).
Six of those properties were assessed as inaccessible; 125 were assessed as experiencing affected damages; 169 were assessed as experiencing minor damages; 14 were assessed as experiencing major damage; and five were assessed as being destroyed.
Flash floods on July 16 hit the Lehigh Valley heavily, dropping 4.15 inches of rain in Martins Creek, 3.99 inches in Easton, 3.74 inches in Nazareth, and 2.81 inches in Bangor.
Those flash floods — which are different than regular floods in that they stem from excessive or extreme rainfall in a short time period, generally around six hours according to the National Weather Service — yielded torrents of water across Northampton County and beyond, leading to the onslaught of damage.
