South Dakota Sen. John Thune has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to clarify how the National Flood Insurance Program applies to the current flooding along the Missouri River.
FEMA has determined that the flood started on June 1 when water releases were increased from Garrison Dam in North Dakota. Officials have said because flood insurance does not take effect until 30 days after it’s purchased, policies bought after May 2 will not cover damages from the continuing high water releases from Missouri River dams.
Thune wants to know whether flood insurance bought after that date might cover events intertwined with the Missouri River flood, such as a levee breach or flooding on a tributary to the Missouri River. Thune asked FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to reply by July 1.
Thune recently toured flood stricken areas around Pierre and Fort Pierre and said seeing the damage firsthand really personalizes the disaster.
Thune toured the evacuated Frontier Road area of Fort Pierre by boat on June 25. The development area along the Missouri River is covered by several feet of flood water, affecting 15 out of the 20 homes.
Thune calls the scene “sobering.”
He says it’s important for people to understand that there were a lot of families and homes that weren’t protected by levees.
Thune says he told the residents that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be asked to answer for their actions that led to the flood.
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