35K Harvey Flood Insurance Claims Filed by Noon on Aug. 30

The government-run U.S. flood insurance program had already received 35,000 claims as of noon on Wednesday as a result of catastrophic flooding in Texas, according to the program’s director.

“This is a very fast clip for them to move,” said Roy Wright, deputy associate administrator for insurance and mitigation at the Federal Emergency Management Agency who runs the flood insurance program.

According to the National Flood Insurance Program, as of June 30, 2017, there were 593,115 federal flood insurance policies in force in all of Texas. It’s estimated that fewer than 20 percent properties in areas flooded by Hurricane Harvey are insured for flood damage, which is not covered under standard homeowners policies.

Reporting by Julia Harte. Writing by Ginger Gibson.; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama