One of several homes in Topaz Ranch Estates damaged in
Friday's 90 mph windstorm
WELLINGTON, NEVADA:
It's been nearly a week since the severe rain and windstorm
hit our region, but neighbors at the Topaz Ranch Estates are still cleaning up
and waiting for help. At least 14 homes, and counting, are severely damaged,
according to Douglas County building official, Dave Lundergreen.
Wind gusts at the TRE reached well over 100 miles per hour on Friday. The area went without power for three days.
“[It was] pretty scary,” says Dylan Goldstein, a young neighbor. “The whole power was out and the bus driver wouldn't let me get off the bus because the power line fell down right in front of the house.”
The storm left a trail of destruction in its path, including Steven Nielsen’s home. Shingles flew off the roof, furniture flew away, and the wind so was strong, it moved his boat and damaged his house.
Nielsen knows the damage will add up.
"Probably $3,500, and another $1,000 dollars here,” he says pointing to different areas of his backyard.
Despite the damage to his home, it isn’t as bad as some of his neighbors.
“I'm lucky. I am. I feel very fortunate after driving up and down the streets here and talking to a lot of people,” Nielsen says.
One mobile home on Granite Way was split in half. Douglas county building officials have deemed the home uninhabitable, but it has been abandoned for many years.
Another home had its roof blown off and has a mud puddle in the middle of it. The owner left all the furniture outside to dry.
Lundergreen also says there aren’t not enough resources for clean up on private property. The responsibility is on the home owners and contractors.
But Nielsen says it's been difficult to get the rebuilding process going.
"I called the insurance company on Friday. They're so busy out here. They can't even have an adjuster out until next week," he says.
Many neighbors say their insurance companies have to fly in adjusters from out-of-state to meet demands.
So until the damage can be accessed, Nielsen says he’s just waiting.
Douglas county officials recommend owners and contractors to contact Douglas Community Development at 775-782-6224 if they would like an inspection to evaluate damage to a structure.
Wind gusts at the TRE reached well over 100 miles per hour on Friday. The area went without power for three days.
“[It was] pretty scary,” says Dylan Goldstein, a young neighbor. “The whole power was out and the bus driver wouldn't let me get off the bus because the power line fell down right in front of the house.”
The storm left a trail of destruction in its path, including Steven Nielsen’s home. Shingles flew off the roof, furniture flew away, and the wind so was strong, it moved his boat and damaged his house.
Nielsen knows the damage will add up.
"Probably $3,500, and another $1,000 dollars here,” he says pointing to different areas of his backyard.
Despite the damage to his home, it isn’t as bad as some of his neighbors.
“I'm lucky. I am. I feel very fortunate after driving up and down the streets here and talking to a lot of people,” Nielsen says.
One mobile home on Granite Way was split in half. Douglas county building officials have deemed the home uninhabitable, but it has been abandoned for many years.
Another home had its roof blown off and has a mud puddle in the middle of it. The owner left all the furniture outside to dry.
Lundergreen also says there aren’t not enough resources for clean up on private property. The responsibility is on the home owners and contractors.
But Nielsen says it's been difficult to get the rebuilding process going.
"I called the insurance company on Friday. They're so busy out here. They can't even have an adjuster out until next week," he says.
Many neighbors say their insurance companies have to fly in adjusters from out-of-state to meet demands.
So until the damage can be accessed, Nielsen says he’s just waiting.
Douglas county officials recommend owners and contractors to contact Douglas Community Development at 775-782-6224 if they would like an inspection to evaluate damage to a structure.
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As of Tuesday evening, Douglas County building inspectors
had yet to post a property unsafe for occupation, though County Building
Official Dave Lundergreen said it’s a work in progress.
“We are evaluating homes first and then accessory
structures, barns and other uninhabited structures next after that,” he said.
“(Tuesday) one of our inspectors identified 14 addresses in Topaz Ranch Estates
that have significant damage or are in need of debris removal.”
He said that one house on Granite Way was destroyed, but
that it was uninhabited before the windstorm.
Lundergreen said the county has been flooded with calls and
questions from homeowners and insurance adjusters, mostly about fences and
roofs.
Roofs with damage larger than 1,000 square feet require a
building permit to repair, but owners are allowed to make emergency repairs
before getting the permit, he said. Permits are available 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Friday at the department’s front
counter in the Minden Inn.
Lundergreen said Douglas County does not regulate fences
shorter than 6 feet in height.
“No building permit is required but we do have a handout at
our office on 1594 Esmeralda that shows typical fencing for front, side and
rear yards,” he said. “We would ask that neighbors work together to address the
damage to their common fences.”
Anyone with concerns or who would like an inspector to check
the damage to their property should contact the building department at
782-6224.
On the other side of the county, the state closed the
westbound tunnel of Cave Rock on Wednesday after heavy rains dislodged large
boulders.
State maintenance crews removed the boulders from the
roadway, some as large as 6-feet-wide just after the storm.
The approximately $7,000 in emergency repairs removed
potentially loose rocks from the roadside slope near the westbound Cave Rock
tunnel entrance.
The emergency repairs will be made by Hi-Tech Rockfall,
considered an industry leader in rockfall reduction and slope stabilization.