UPDATED: Snyder Declares Flood Emergency in Tri-County Area

By Courtney Bledsoe & Beth Dalbey

Updated at 2:30 p.m.:
Gov. Rick Snyder has declared a flooding emergency for Wayne, Oakland and Washtenaw counties, The Lansing State Journal reports.

“The flooding that continues to impact Southeastern Michigan is a disaster in every sense of the word. As local and state authorities work around the clock to deal with this situation, it is clear that the significant personal property and infrastructure damage, coupled with ongoing threats to public safety, warrants this state declaration,” Snyder said in a statement Wednesday. “By taking this action, the state can fully coordinate and maximize efforts to support its local partners.”

States of emergency have been declared in several metro communities as area mayors set in motion a notification process that could end in a federal disaster declaration after record rains flooded basements, backed up sewers and collapsed a portion of an I-75 service drive.

At least two deaths are blamed on historic rains, the most received in a single day in Detroit in more than 89 years. A 100-year-old woman was found dead in her flooded basement Tuesday in Warren, WDIV-TV. A cause of death was not immediately available, but Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said it appeared she drowned.

On Monday, a 30-year-old Sterling Heights woman died of an apparent heart attack after her car became trapped in three and a half feet of floodwaters near the intersection of Van Dyke Road and Old 13 Mile Road, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Royal Oak Mayor Jim Ellison and Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter issued disaster declarations Tuesday evening, The Oakland Press reports. The local disaster declarations go to first to Oakland County Homeland Security officials, and then, the mayors hope, on to state and federal authorities.

States of emergency have also been declared in Wayne County, where the declaration covers 43 communities, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Warren’s Fouts Has Also Declared a State of Emergency.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson has joined the chorus of local officials asking for assistance.

In a letter to Gov. Rick Snyder, Patterson is requesting help with debris removal, repairs related to flooding and funding for the cost of first responders, public workers and other employees needed to assist with the Oakland County recovery process.

“Oakland County wants to ensure that all the channels are clear for our communities to request assistance in the aftermath of this historic flooding,” Patterson said.

Patterson is urging communities to declare a state of emergency as well.

The Homeland Security Division has been receiving damage assessments since Monday and will submit the information to the State of Michigan for assistance.

Snyder’s office told the Free Press it’s too soon to act on requests for a state disaster declaration.

“We are seeing progress with receding water levels and MDOT crews continue to work tirelessly alongside local county road commissions to open roadways for the morning commute,” Snyder said in a statement released Tuesday night via the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security division. “The state remains committed to working with local first responders to address any remaining threats to public health and safety.”

Mark Schauer, the Democrat challenging Snyder’s re-election bid, took issue with the governor’s decision not to declare a flood emergency, the Detroit Free Press reports. He said swift action by the governor could bring federal flood relief to Michigan residents.

What Caused Highway Collapse?

Royal Oak engineer Matt Callahan told the Free Press that officials don’t know what caused Stephenson Highway near Dallas to collapse and leave part of I-75 under water. The Michigan Department of Transportation has installed a temporary station to pump water, but cleaning up I-75 will take some time. Multiple cars are believed to be buried under the water.

One block of the highway will need to be rebuilt.

As they clean up their personal properties from the flooding, many homeowners are questioning whether insurance companies will cover the damage, The Detroit News reports.

Homeowners must have policies covering sewer back-ups, sump pump failures or special riders in order to have coverage.

Residents with regular homeowners’ insurance policies probably won’t be covered for any damage, said Laura Adams, a senior analyst at InsuranceQuotes.com.

Property owners with federal flood insurance policies may be at a loss as they are only covered for structural damage, and damage to foundations, water heaters and electrical panels.

“People need information so that they can get help and help themselves, this is a disaster that has impacted virtually everyone in the region, including those who cannot afford to repair the damage,” Ali Dagher, a property law attorney, said.

I-696 Opens as Recovery Begins in Metro Detroit

Authorities are urging residents to prepare for longer commutes as MDOT crews work diligently to clear flooded roads.

The Michigan State Police and MDOT are asking motorists to be patient as many roads remain closed during the Wednesday morning commute, The Detroit News reports.

All I-696 westbound lanes and ramps to I-75 are open.

The towing of stranded vehicles has begun and owners of the vehicles are asked to call the MSP Metro Post at (248) 584-5740 to determine where their vehicle is located.

For more information about road closing take a look at the MDOT traffic map at michigan.gov/drive.

A Empty Vehicle Surfaced as Water Receded in Clinton Township.

A sports utility vehicle was found in a Clinton Township water reservoir Wednesday after a passerby spotted the car.

Firefighters and divers reported to the scene and searched the murky water for any fatalities but no one was found according to Battalion Chief Bob Schied, The Detroit Free Press reports.

“It’s quite evident that it’s been in the water possibly all day yesterday and a passerby noticed it so we came and checked it out with negative results. Nobody’s in the vehicle so at this point we’ll try to contact the owner then contact a towing company and get it out of here,” Schied said.

The department received about 20 calls concerning submerged vehicles during the storm.

Rainfall Pushes Homeless to Shelters

Torrential rainfall pushed the homeless off the streets and into shelters.

Metro Detroit shelters were squeezed beyond capacity after record numbers of people looked for a place to sleep after the storm, The Detroit Free Press reports.

Nearly 90 men took cover in the 77-person capacity shelter, the Detroit Rescue Missions Ministry.

The mission’s women center took in an additional 65 women and children compared to the usual 40.

Detroit’s Neighborhoods Service Organization’s Tumaini Center took in more than 150 people during the storm, said Lewis Hickson, the center’s operations manager.

“We didn’t want to turn them away so even though the fire code allows 120 we took in 150, and let as many as could stay in the halls,” Hickson said.

Homeless shelters typically see an overflow of people during the winter but never during the summer making Monday a summertime record for DRMM shelters said Chad Audi, president of the DRMM.

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PHOTO: Michigan is beginning to recover after record breaking rainfall Monday (Patch File Photo).