This week’s storms dealt more than $3 million in damage to homes and businesses in Long Beach, according to a preliminary assessment by the city.
The series of storms, which drenched Los Angeles County’s second largest city with more than 7 inches of rain in five days, caused about $2 million in damage to homes and businesses, $1 million to public buildings and about $200,000 in personnel costs, according to estimates released today.
"The next step is to assess the amount of damage done and begin the process of repairing," Mayor Bob Foster said in a news release.
Authorities urged residents and business owners who sustained flood damage to report it to a special hotline at (562) 570-6077 or visit a Web page the city has launched to catalog the extent of the damage.
Long Beach officials said they will use the information to help gauge the extent of the damage, help further estimate the financial loss to the city and make it easier to contact residents and businesses as financial assistance becomes available.
On Thursday, acting Gov. Jerry Brown proclaimed a state of emergency in five Southern California counties affected by the series of storms, freeing up access to state disaster aid.
Rain falling at a rate of up to an inch in 30 minutes overwhelmed the city’s drainage system, causing chest-high flooding in residential neighborhoods and soaking businesses around the city. The 710 Freeway was flooded twice and classes at Cal State Long Beach were canceled for two days after the Student Union building flooded.
Also damaged in the storms were the public library, several city facilities, vehicles and equipment; El Dorado Park lost 20 large trees in the storms, city officials said.
–Tony Barboza