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Some Mass. Residents Still Displaced As FEMA Offers Disaster Aid

Crews are still working to dry out some Massachusetts towns where water levels remain high following last week's record rainfall and dozens of families have yet to return to their homes after being evacuated.

In Lakeville, emergency management director Daniel Hopkins estimates as many as 30 families are still displaced.

"What we're doing is just watching the water level to see if we can get these people, at least the electricity turned back on to some of these residents," Hopkins said Monday.

Officials in Quincy say some residents might not be able to go home for months.

"We set up an emergency program, we're working with one of our partners where we're providing some folks with rental vouchers for the several months so they can get the repairs done," said Christopher Walker, the mayor's director of policy and information.

Terry Sullivan, Fall River's utilities administrator, expects recovery to be a long process for his town, which saw some of the storm's worst flooding.

"The flood waters are receding, but very slowly, about an inch a day," Sullivan said, "and we're moving about 150 million gallons per day out of the system, but it's taking some time 'cause there's so much water."

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Administration will open disaster centers in five counties — Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Worcester — and begin surveying statewide municipal damage on Wednesday.

Federal officials will also be on hand to discuss applying for grants or loans to repair homes and businesses. State emergency management officials say about 8,000 Massachusetts residents have already applied for federal disaster relief funds.

Peter Judge, of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, says it is important for homeowners to document damage.

"If you have pictures of the original damage, that's great," Judge said. "Hopefully you've saved any receipt relative to replacing things or paying someone to do some work."

As of Tuesday evening, the Sudbury River, the Concord River and the Charles River all remain above flood stage, though they are receding.

This program aired on April 6, 2010. The audio for this program is not available.

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