PIKEVILLE, Ky. — President Bush has declared five eastern Kentucky counties disaster areas in the wake of flash floods that caused an estimated $13 million in property damage in the region.

        The declaration will make financial assistance available to local governments, not to individual homeowners.

        The declaration was issued for Floyd, Knott, Letcher, Perry and Pike counties, which were hardest hit by the floods.

        Flash floods hit the state's coal counties Aug. 3 and 4 when 4-5 inches of rain fell on the mountain region. The floods killed two people in Pike County, ripped away roads and bridges, knocked out electric and water service to hundreds of homes, and coated much of the region with a layer of yellow mud.

        Ray Bowman, spokesman for the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, said the declaration doesn't make federal assistance available to residents who suffered property damage.

        “This is not the absolute end of it,” Mr. Bowman said. “There will be some ongoing damage assessments, and things could change, but I'm not saying that they will.”

        Mr. Bush's declaration means the Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay most the cost of repairing damage to roads and bridges. Typically, FEMA covers 75 percent of the cost of the repairs with local and state governments picking up the remaining 25 percent.

        “The high winds and devastating floodwaters that spread across this five-county area left sizable damage behind, and this federal assistance will help us restore what has been lost,” said U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers, R-Somerset, in a statement Thursday afternoon.

        The Division of Emergency Management estimated damage from the floods at $11.5 million to roads and bridges and $1.5 million to homes and private property.

        FEMA Director Joe M. Allbaugh said more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated later based on further damage assessments.

        Michael E. Bolch, coordinator of FEMA relief efforts, said procedures for requesting assistance will be explained at a series of briefings at locations to be announced later.

Two boys charged in girl's beating death
Young murder suspects appear across nation
Start of school raises shigella fears
Study of police moves forward
Cincinnati police honored
Online high school has 117 openings
Playground program kept kids happy, busy and safe
Rev. Rivers' visit postponed
Teen leaped from seventh floor with police in pursuit
Youths look for answers
Buyers cross state lines for yard sale
Kings Island staying open 5 extra days
Police ponder new methods as violence rises
RADEL: Revamp looms
Reunion starts on relationships
Rubber stamping enthusiasts gather
Tristate A.M. Report
Butler Co. gets high-tech help
Mason in group that woos firms
Plea bargain ends case of man who injured son
Byrd called a 'brutish thug'
Federal flood aid is sought
Med student killed, coroner now says
Schools may use vans again
Concert benefits church food bank
Disaster status to provide help to flooded areas
Driver felt ill before fatal wreck
Drywall maker Lafarge cited by state as polluter
Schools chief in Erlanger-Elsmere plans to retire