KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Residents of Kosciusko County are reminded with the recent flooding, many structures in the community may have experienced damage. Residents are strongly encouraged to report damages to the state of Indiana online at in.gov/dhs to assist in tracking the extent of these damages.

Owners are also reminded repairs and/or reconstruction activities to structures damaged due to the flooding and located in a floodplain may require a local permit from the Kosciusko County Area Planning Commission as required by the Kosciusko County floodplain ordinance. In addition to local permits, depending on a property’s location, a permit may be required from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources prior to the start of any reconstruction activity.

For more information on the permitting process, contact Kosciusko County APC at (574) 372-2304 or by email at [email protected].

In addition to permits other steps owners should take before commencing repairs include:

• Contacting your agent or insurance company to file a claim. Damaged homes with flood insurance may be eligible for increased cost of compliance funding to assist in flood proofing or raising a home.

• Check for structural damage before re-entering your home to avoid being trapped in a building collapse and confirm power has been shut off until confirming the electrical has not been impacted.

• Take photographs of all of the damaged property, including discarded objects, structural damage and standing floodwater levels.