The arrival of a state Emergency Management team in Roanoke Rapids today signals the start toward the possible issuance of a state emergency declaration.

“They’ll be reviewing areas of town to come up with a list of damaged houses and residences,” City Manager Joseph Scherer said this afternoon.

It is a process that will determine whether state aid can be offered to those affected by Saturday’s flooding after 11 ½ inches of rain fell in a span of five hours.

Scherer said right now the city is looking at 75 damaged buildings, the majority of them being houses. “The state folks will make that determination. They look at four different categories based on the value of the home and the repairs.”

Carolina and Virginia avenues were hardest hit, as well as Meadowbrook Trailer Park, the city manager said.

Scherer said state reimbursement is designated for roads, bridges, debris removal and emergency protective measures.

That means damage reimbursement for Chaloner Recreation Center will have to be negotiated through the city’s insurance provider.

The extent of damage to the recreation center is still unknown and as of this morning the entrance was still blocked.

Initial estimates show damage to city infrastructure to be around a half a million dollars. Preliminary cost estimates to repair Franklin Street are $115,000, Scherer said. It is unclear right now how long it will take to repair the street, which collapsed under the pressure of floodwaters.

For Scherer, who has been on the job nine days, the response by city staff has been impressive. “They’ve done what they had to do and wasted no time. They have done well given the enormity of the situation.”