Senator urges Californians to buy flood insurance

With an El Niño predicted for the coming months, Senator Jeff Stone, along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is urging Californians to purchase flood insurance now, even if they live in areas that have not flooded previously.

Four years of drought have left California with dry, hard-packed soil that is unable to absorb large amounts of rain. The runoff from heavy rains can and will cause extensive damage.

“We have already seen the kind of devastation an El Niño can cause when heavy rain led to cars being covered with mud and closing Interstate 5 earlier this month,” said Senator Stone. “This summer one heavy shower destroyed a bridge on Interstate 10 in Desert Center”

To find out more and obtain information about purchasing flood insurance, FEMA has established the website: www.FloodSmart.gov.

Here are a few “Flood Facts” from FEMA:

• Just a few inches of water from a flood can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
• A car can easily be carried away by just two feet of rushing water.
• New land development can increase flood risk, especially if the construction changes natural runoff patterns.
• Most standard homeowners insurance does not cover flooding.
• In most cases, it takes 30 days after purchase for a policy to take effect, so it’s important to buy insurance before the storm approaches and floodwaters start to rise.

Jeff Stone was elected to represent California’s 28th Senate District in November 2014. The district, which is entirely in Riverside County, stretches from the Temecula Valley to the Colorado River and includes the City of Canyon Lake.