Editor's note: The video above was published on Dec. 16, 2021.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration for areas of Washington state hit hardest during the historic flooding in November.
Unprecedented flooding in northwest Washington caused widespread damage and left officials across several counties scrambling to document the costs in the hopes of qualifying for federal relief dollars.
The declaration makes federal funding available to affected people in Clallam, Skagit and Whatcom counties, including the Lummi Nation, Nooksack Indian Tribe and Quileute Tribe.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property damage and other programs to assist individuals and business owners as they recover from the effects of the flooding.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by registering online or by calling 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing and speech impaired.
The flooding occurred in November after days of heavy rain. Emergency officials in Whatcom County called it the worst flooding since 1990.
Officials estimated more than 500 people were displaced from homes in Whatcom County alone.
More than 80% of the buildings in Sumas were damaged by floodwaters, including 300 homes and 35 businesses.