Record floods have government promoting flood insurance

Flooded car
A van shows the depth of water outside a home in Rushford.
MPR photo/Mark Steil

It's been almost a year since devastating floods in Southeast Minnesota decimated more than half of the 700 homes in the city of Rushford after a weekend of unprecedented rainfall.

The storms caused an estimated $67 million in damage and President Bush declared seven Minnesota counties federal disaster areas.

When that happens, the Federal Emergency Management Agency steps in to help, distributing supplies and money to help people rebuild. But for most affected people, that money isn't nearly enough.

Don Keldsen, FEMA's federal coordinating officer for Minnesota, said FEMA, by law, is capped at a reimbursement rate not to exceed $28,800.

"If you have severe flood damage, that's not really going to bring you back...and insurance is really the best option for most people," Keldsen said.

Host Tom Crann talked to Minnesota's National Flood Insurance Program Director Ceil Straus, about how many Minnesotan's are eligable for flood insurance and what they can do to get it.

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