October 14, 2011
By: Carrie Van Brunt-Wiley
Officials in the state of Virginia recently applied for federal disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of an August 23 earthquake. But the request has been denied.
Robert Dube, Louisa County administrator, was disheartened by FEMA's decision but said his office is working with Governor Bob McDonnell and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to determine what steps are necessary to file an appeal.
"We have been significantly impacted by this historic earthquake and much of the damage remains unknown," said Willie Gentry, chairman of the board of supervisors in Louisa County, where much of the destruction took place. "What we do know, is that nearly 140 homes have major damage with an average cost to repair of $72,000. Even the households with minor damage face a financial challenge with the average repair cost of $10,000."
He added that in many of these cases, homeowners insurance is not covering the repairs. Typically, earthquake insurance is separate from a standard policy.
Had Virginia received federal assistance, it would have been given to homeowners and renters in the form of low-interest loans to help pay for home repairs.
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