Ventura County officials now say the big storms which hit the county earlier this month caused nearly $40 million in damage.
Ventura County Supervisors declared a local emergency as part of efforts to get federal help in relief efforts.
The storms dropped more than 12 inches of rain in parts of the county, causing flooding and mudflows which damaged public infrastructure like roads.
Damage has to reach certain thresholds for the county to be eligible for federal aid. County officials say despite damage to hundreds of homes during a major storm in December, the county didn’t qualify for aid from FEMA. In that case, impacted residents and businesses could apply for relief in the form of low interest loans from the federal Small Business Administration.
