Jefferson County’s damage estimate from Monday’s storm rose to $5.3 million on Friday.
“This is the largest [amount of storm damage] in the last five years for sure – if not 10 years,” said Bob Hamlin, manager of the Department of Emergency Management.
The damage estimate amount has been rising all week, since high wind and rain pummeled the east and west sides of the North Olympic Peninsula on Monday.
“As the water’s gone, and they’re able to get to all the little issues, it just keeps climbing,” Hamlin said.
But he doesn’t expect the estimate to rise beyond $5.3 million.
“This number is probably the number,” Hamlin said.
The estimate takes into account only damage to county infrastructure. It does not include personal property losses.
Clallam County has a much lower estimate – $750,000, said Bob Martin, Emergency Management Division director – and that includes both personal property and county infrastructure.
However, Martin expects that amount to increase.
“These figures are preliminary, and I’m sure they’re going to change,” he said on Friday.
