Governor Asks U.S. for Storm Assistance

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday asked the White House to declare disaster areas in eight Southern California counties hit this month by a spate of deadly storms.

If approved, the move should help municipalities fund repairs to roads, bridges and other structures damaged by flooding and mudslides triggered by days of heavy rain in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Kern, Santa Barbara and Ventura. Twenty-eight deaths were linked to the storms that began Jan. 7.

Schwarzenegger also asked for more than $8.5 million in federal aid to help individuals repair their homes, obtain temporary housing, seek crisis counseling and other needs. He requested millions of dollars more in federal home and small-business loans.

Schwarzenegger pegged the total cost of storm-related damage to public facilities at $235 million. More than 300 highways and roads were closed because of storm damage. Caltrans this week put the cost of road repairs at more than $43 million. About 1,200 homes were damaged and 21 of those destroyed or nearly destroyed, Schwarzenegger said.

As of Friday, more than 21,000 home- and flood-insurance claims related to storm damage had been filed, said Pete Moraga of the Insurance Information Network of California, an insurance industry trade group.

Los Angeles County had an estimated $101.5 million in damage to public facilities, more than any other county. San Bernardino County was second with $44.3 million, according to the governor’s office estimates.

Including private and public property, estimated damage in San Bernardino County is $52.1 million, said David Wert, a county spokesman.