TRIADELPHIA — Millions of dollars have already been awarded to those affected by the June floods in Ohio County, but for those who have waited to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance, the clock is ticking toward the deadline.

Sept. 22 will be the final day for Ohio County flood victims to file their claims with FEMA. They can do so online at disasterassistance.gov, over the phone at 800-321-FEMA, or in person at the Disaster Recovery Center at the Triadelphia Community Center.

When applying, residents should make sure to have at least some documentation of damage from their property, said Philip Maramba, assistant external affairs officer with FEMA.

“You want to bring with you things like your insurance, your proof of ownership or proof of rental, so you can have at least a couple of documents to get your registration started,” he said.

Maramba has been happy with the response from Ohio County residents in filing their claims, which has led to millions being awarded. At a recent Ohio County Commission meeting, Ohio County EMA Director Lou Vargo said 519 Ohio County residents have applied and FEMA has awarded more than $5.9 million from those claims.

Maramba said it has been a steady stream of people coming into file since FEMA recovery centers began accepting claims in late July.

“To me, that speaks to the real amount of damage that has been suffered in the area,” he said. “Normally, by this point in a disaster, you would see things starting to tail off, but it’s been a steady flow.”

Maramba suggested that, even if someone doesn’t think they’d qualify for much, they should contact FEMA and talk to a representative. Some people have been pleasantly surprised with what they qualified for. Maramba said one victim came to the Disaster Recovery Center in Triadelphia and, in the process of talking with a FEMA representative, learned that they qualified for the maximum grant of more than $43,000.

Maramba also said that, when assessing their damage, victims should look beyond just what is inside their home’s walls.

“Don’t just think about what’s inside the house,” he said. “You’ve got HVAC units, you’ve got a well, a septic system, a bridge that’s the only way to get to your property, don’t just think inside the box, as they say. Make sure you think about all those other things.”

But the only way to qualify for disaster relief is to apply, so Maramba reminded residents not to delay in filing claims if they haven’t already.

“So far, the response from the community has been terrific,” he said, “and we’re glad that they’re taking the message to heart the messaging that there’s money available.”