Lyon County has verbally declared an emergency as a result of the torrential rainfall and flooding from a week ago.
Lyon County Commission Chairman Ken Duft made the verbal declaration Thursday following upwards of seven inches or more of rainfall that fell on the area between June 3 and June 7. The primary reason for the declaration is due to the impacts on public-owned infrastructure, namely the county’s road network, which saw numerous closures, some of which remain in place at this time.
The declaration is the first step in potentially seeking federal reimbursement for repair work to said infrastructure. According to Lyon County Emergency Manager Jarrod Fell, the financial threshold for the county to qualify for said reimbursement is just over $151,800.
The state of Kansas’ threshold for assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is just over $5.5 million. Final numbers are still pending; however, initial financial impacts for the county, including emergency protective measures and road repairs, are estimated to exceed $200,000.
The Lyon County Commission will formally sign the declaration during its next action meeting Friday, June 20.
