Earthquake: The Long Road Back : Fewer Victims Are Seeking U. S. Aid : Relief: Many hard-hit Ventura County residents are turning to public assistance for the first time in their lives.

As emergency crews worked round-the-clock in efforts to shore up quake-damaged buildings in Fillmore and Simi Valley, the number of victims seeking help at disaster relief centers began to let up slightly, officials said Thursday.

Since the devastating earthquake tore through Ventura County 11 days ago, 5,180 people have sought federal assistance, and nearly 100 people have applied for food stamps and welfare, officials said.

Officials in Simi Valley estimated that they had processed nearly 700 applications for aid on Wednesday alone, while about 100 people sought help in Fillmore.

“We’ve had a steady flow of people,” said Lynne Keating, a worker at the Federal Emergency Management Agency center in Fillmore. “Some people are under dire straits because they have lost so much.”

For many Ventura County residents, last week’s earthquake left them in such a precarious financial position that they have had to seek public aid for the first time in their lives.

As of Thursday, 53 people have sought welfare and food stamps in Simi Valley. In Fillmore, 76 people filed for assistance.

Helen Reburn, a deputy director with the county Public Social Services Agency, said local officials have been working alongside federal workers at the disaster centers to take welfare and food stamp applications.

“For the people who have to use their resources to pay for damaged homes, this means that much less money to buy food,” Reburn said. “There are some people without any income at all because they have lost their jobs because of all of this. (Food stamps) are just an additional resource for help.”

In Fillmore, Nathalie Milliken went to the disaster assistance center at St. Francis of Assisi Church on California 126 to apply for food stamps.

A research technician for the Naval Construction Battalion Center at Port Hueneme, Milliken has never needed help buying groceries before. But the Jan. 17 earthquake damaged her single-family home so badly that city inspectors declared it safe only for limited entry until repairs are made.

Milliken, 44, has had to take unpaid leave from work the past two weeks to clean up the house and line up a contractor. She had already used her paid leave to care for her 98-year-old grandmother who lives with her.

Although she plans to return to work Monday, she’s afraid that the two weeks without pay may cause her to run low on cash for food.

“Under the circumstances, I know I’m going to need help,” Milliken said. “I just didn’t want to leave myself or my grandmother without having things to eat.”

The bustle of previous days had subsided slightly by Thursday afternoon at Simi Valley’s FEMA center, officials said.

“We crested today,” FEMA spokesman Bob Mullins said. “We’re still generally busy in the morning, but from 1 to 5, people can just walk right in.”

Despite the slowdown, counselors from the Ventura County Mental Health Department have been busy talking with people about their fears and frustrations in the temblor’s wake.

“The aftershocks prevented people from starting the healing process and moving forward to take care of things,” said Carol Williams, one of several health workers staffing the corner counseling table. “They figured, ‘Why should I bother cleaning up?’ ”

To make life a little easier on the applicants, federal officials have agreed to open a second disaster center in Simi Valley. Starting at 1 p.m. today, residents can apply for assistance at the Ronald Reagan Center for Public Affairs, 40 Presidential Drive, off Madera Road.

In a prepared statement, former President Reagan said: “Nancy and I called the library right away to see what we could do--how we could help. We’re pleased they’ve accepted our invitation to use the facility.”

While federal and local officials continued to process applications for assistance, Red Cross officials said the number of people staying at emergency shelters is starting to drop.

As of Wednesday night, 154 people sought refuge at Fillmore Middle School and 87 stayed at the Hillside Junior High School shelter in Simi Valley, the Red Cross said. Officials were expecting similar numbers Thursday night. Last week, nearly 600 people were staying at four shelters in the Fillmore and Simi Valley areas, officials said.

“We are hoping the numbers will continue to decline,” said Brian Bolton, executive director of the Ventura County chapter of the Red Cross. “People are doing the best they can to move on.”

Tina Daunt is a Times staff writer and Maia Davis is a correspondent. Correspondent Brenda Day also contributed to this report.