$5.4M340

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 17, 2007

F\u200Alooding last week caused almost $5.4 million in damage to public and privately owned buildings in Shawnee County, according to preliminary estimates by county appraiser Mark Hixon.

The American Red Cross provided the county a list of addresses of flood-damaged structures that Hixon's office used to make a preliminary estimate of $5,375,000 in damage to buildings in Topeka and the unincorporated community of Wakarusa in southern Shawnee County.

The estimate doesn't include flood damage to vehicles, Hixon said Wednesday.

He said preliminary figures show flooding on May 7 damaged buildings on 340 parcels of land in Shawnee County. Hixon didn't know precisely how many housing units were damaged.

"Some of those buildings are condominiums and one was an apartment complex, so there were more units than 340," he said.

Hixon said he considered it likely any subsequent structural damage estimate made by his office would be higher than the current figure, because the list the Red Cross provided didn't contain the addresses of some buildings that stood between other flood-damaged structures and probably also sustained damage.

Hixon said the Red Cross reported buildings on 12 parcels of land in Shawnee County sustained "severe" damage, meaning there was more than 12 inches of water on the main floor.

Buildings on 290 other parcels sustained "moderate" damage, meaning there was more than an inch of water on the main floor, while flood-damaged buildings on 38 parcels had "minimal" damage that was confined to the basement or amounted to less than an inch of water on the main floor, Hixon said.

He said his office used guidelines from an emergency management guidebook to estimate dollar damages to buildings depending on how high the water got inside.

Hixon said his office estimated homes sustained damages equal to 10 percent of their appraised value if they had minimal damage and 25 percent if flood damage was moderate.

Dollar losses were estimated to be 35 percent or more when damage was severe, depending on the amount of damage that was present, Hixon said.

To help victims of the May 7 flooding, the Red Cross Service Center at Central Park Community Center, 1534 S.W. Clay, has extended its hours and will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Friday to people affected by the flood who need to register for possible Red Cross assistance.

City spokesman David Bevens said those requesting assistance must have proof of damage and must bring two pieces of identification, one of which must be a photo identification, such as a driver's license. Those seeking Red Cross help also must bring a utility or cable TV bill containing their name and address. The Red Cross will conduct home visits to verify damage.

Bevens also said volunteers will help flood victims clean their homes during a "Project Neighbor to Neighbor" event Saturday. He encouraged those needing help and those wanting to volunteer to call 233-8200, ext. 4742, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. today or 9 a.m. to noon Friday.

Tim Hrenchir can be reached at (785) 295-1184 or tim.hrenchir@cjonline.com.