U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) on Sunday joined local officials including Harry Conover, the county’s emergency management coordinator, and Tom Powers, Freeholder Director, to assess areas of Monmouth and Ocean Counties that were severely damaged by floods. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the affected areas as flooding continued to spread late last week and on Saturday.

    Following his assessment of the damage, Smith urged Governor Richard J. Codey to include the affected Monmouth and Ocean County areas in a request to the President asking that a “major disaster area” be declared. Under this Presidential Declaration, long-term federal recovery programs designed to helped disaster victims, businesses and public entities are put in place. A state of emergency was declared by Governor Codey on Friday, October 14. 

    “After assessing the damage done to the area, I have petitioned the Governor to take the necessary steps to receive the federal ‘major disaster area’ designation. This will allow an authorization of federal funding through FEMA for severely affected municipalities and homeowners,” said Smith. 

    In the 24 hour period between Thursday and Friday afternoon, Monmouth and Ocean Counties averaged about 5 inches of rain. The areas had already taken about six inches in the early portion of the week. Serious flooding occurred on Friday when Lake Como overflowed causing mass flooding in Spring Lake and Belmar and a dam failure caused Wreck Pond to flood. Rescue workers and National Guard troops used high water vehicles and boats to evacuate people from homes in Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Belmar, Loch Arbour and Ocean Township. Pumps continue running today to attempt to clear roadways that remain underwater.

    “It was noticeable that everyone that I met on Sunday, from firefighter to victim, had a ‘can do’ attitude about helping each other and moving forward,” Smith said. “Initial damage assessments are estimated in the millions of dollars. We need to effectively expedite aid to the people that have suffered heavy damage, may not have flood insurance and need our help.”