President Bush has declared five counties in southern Wisconsin disaster areas, Gov. Jim Doyle said Saturday.

Residents in Columbia, Crawford, Milwaukee, Sauk and Vernon counties with damage to their properties are eligible for up to $28,800 for repairs, rental assistance, medical bills and other expenses, said David Paulison, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The state also has applied for disaster status for Richland County, and the 24 other counties in southern Wisconsin likely will be added to the list, Doyle said.

Property owners seeking assistance should register with FEMA, and workers will contact them to inspect their homes or businesses.

Wisconsin Emergency Management warned against fraud, saying residents in the Fond du Lac area said people posing as FEMA agents have asked to inspect their homes.

Residents should ask to see FEMA identification, officials said. FEMA inspectors never charge applicants for inspections.

Doyle said the state and FEMA are working with about 50 communities that have dropped out of the federal flood insurance program — including Lake Delton and La Valle, which have sustained considerable damage — to reapply for the insurance within six months, which would qualify them for the aid.

Doyle, Paulison and U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, flew over and visited flooded areas Saturday morning before holding a news conference at a military hangar near the Dane County Regional Airport.

Democratic Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl also were at the news conference.

"There is a tremendous amount of damage in this state," Doyle said. He said the damage could be in the "hundreds of millions of dollars."

Doyle warned people with private wells not to drink their water without getting it tested. He said the state Laboratory of Hygiene is doing the testing for free; call 608-224-6262.

Paulison said he frequently visits disaster areas but was distressed by what he saw in Wisconsin.

"It's just heartbreaking," he said. "We will issue checks as quickly as possible."

After more rain fell in southern Wisconsin Saturday, another round of storms is likely to move through the region this afternoon, bringing about a quarter to a half an inch of rain with the possibility of local amounts of an inch, according to the National Weather Service.

"As of right now, it looks like after this pushes through (today), we are expecting to be dry until Saturday," said Chris Kuhlman, a weather service meteorologist.

CONTACT FEMA

Property owners seeking assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency should call 800-621-3362 or visit www.fema.gov.