The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to issue an emergency disaster declaration for damage caused by strong storms that rolled through the county August 9-10th.
Lincoln-Lancaster County Emergency Management Director Jim Davidsaver told the board that preliminary damage estimates to public property and critical infrastructure total about $2.4 million, with more outstanding.
“It sounds like our power companies, Lincoln Electric System and Norris Public Power, were hit most significantly,” said Davidsaver.
Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will likely be conducting an official preliminary damage assessment later this week, according to Davidsaver. “The sooner we get the process started, the sooner we get things moving in the right direction. This declaration is the key to make sure we have the statutory authority to do so,” he said.
Local first responders and emergency crews have been working around the clock to assess damages since the storms, said Davidsaver.