More Idaho Counties Join Emergency List

Heavy flooding has prompted four North Idaho counties to declare a state of emergency as of late Saturday.

Benewah and Idaho counties are the two newest areas to add their names to the list, issued by the Idaho Bureau of Disaster Services. Kootenai and Clearwater counties declared similar emergencies Thursday based on persistent rain, heavy flooding and damage to homes and roads.

The declaration allows county officials to ask for state funds when local resources run out.

“We’ve been successful in flood fighting over the past couple of days, but with the new storm warning and the damage we’ve already seen, we want to work proactively with the counties to ensure citizens and property are safe,” said John Cline, director of the Bureau of Disaster Services.

, DataTimes