CHEHALIS, Wash. - At least two levees breached in three places during last week's storm that caused major flooding near the Chehalis River.

Several vehicles and a motorcycle were swallowed up in a natural levee breach near the Chehalis Airport, called the Airport Levee. And a 300-foot long breach is now under repair in the Salzer Creek Levee - the other is about 50 feet long.

Until recently, the breaches weren't visible because they were covered by flood waters, but the Army Corps of Engineers says the breached levees may not have made much of a difference. They attribute most of the destruction to a freak flood that only happens every few hundred years.

"The amount of water coming down - everything got overtopped, so the breach didn't matter," Paul Komoroske, of the Army Corps of Engineers.

Rainfall during the storm topped 14 inches. Far upstream, near the town of Doty, a team from the U.S. Geological Survey is measuring just how high the flood reached around Lewis County. One high water mark near Doty measures about 30 feet above the normal surface of the Chehalis.

Damage estimates

Damage estimates are starting to come in from the counties hardest hit by last week's storm and flooding.

The initial damage assessment amount for Lewis County government entities and emergency service infrastructures is between $30-36 million. The combined total for residents and businesses is $60-75 million.

In King County, losses for primary residences add up to about $7 million, while government property damage is coming in at about $20 million, so far.

Grays Harbor County had at least $18 million in damages.

Mason County reports $8 million in individual structural and property damage. The majority of that amount is for uninsured homeowners. The p ublic infrastructure total is a little over $10 million.

Thurston County reports nearly $14 million in damages as a result of recent floods.

Adna Elementary School in Lewis County was open for classes Tuesday. It's at least one positive sign life is slowly getting back to normal there.

Fourth grader Erica Nelson on Tuesday went back to school for the first time since the Chehalis River circled her house.

"It was like right at the porch and within 45 minutes right over our porch," she said. "Some of my stuff got ruined, my bible got destroyed, my lunchbox got destroyed."

"We lost our car, we lost my mom's car … washer, dryer, refrigerator freezers, chairs," said Erica's mom, Michelle Ray.

Adna Superintendent Ed Rothlin made the call to return to school, despite the fact that there is much work that needs to be done, including getting the drinking water back in the school.

"We felt it was important the kids get back to some kind of normal feeling," he said.

The Air National Guard brought in bottled water for the kids and hand washing sinks were also brought in until a permanent fix is done.

"We're told it could be out three weeks to a month," said Rothlin.

Adna Middle/High School received about two inches of flood water, enough to contaminate 90 percent of the school, but the district says it has been cleaned up and school will be open on Wednesday.

And while so much has been cancelled and delayed, the district says one important event will happen. Next Tuesday's Christmas concert will go on as planned.

The kids practicing on Tuesday didn't skip a beat, and will perhaps bring some smiles to a town in desperate need of a few.

What about the other counties?

While residents in Lewis and Grays Harbor counties can apply for up to $29,000 in federal grants, people living in the other four counties on the state disaster declaration -- Kitsap, Mason, Pacific and Thurston -- still cannot get that specific help.

Then there's King County with its pockets of heavy damage that, so far, is not even listed.

State and county emergency management officials who are eager for that designation say they're not worried, yet.

"Typically, the disasters of last year and the year before, it took 30 days from when the event before we got the presidential disaster declaration.  In this case, it's been a matter of days," said Marty Best, Mason County Emergency Management.

With damage assessments still coming in, there's cautious optimism that the White House will widen the reach of a helping hand to homeowners.  That's why it remains important for flood victims to file reports.

"We still need damage information from individuals.  They need to call their local emergency management office to tell them what they've lost.  What we're really interested in is the uninsured loss," said Rob Harper, Washington Emergency Management.

Helicoptor and boats rescue people in Adna.

Volunteers with trucks and trailers needed in Doty

Residents in Doty need help disposing appliances. The Lewis County Emergency Operations Center is coordinating with United Way to find volunteers with trucks and/or trailers who are able to help transport appliances from Doty to a drop box at Spooner Road.

Volunteers are asked to call United Way directly at (360) 748-8100 if they are able to help out.