Last week's heavy rainstorms that produced nearly two feet of rain in the Atlanta area in one day caused severe flood damage now estimated to be greater than $500 million -- much of it apparently uninsured.

Georgia Insurance Commissioner John W. Oxendine reported the figures on Monday, Sept. 28, after initially reporting a figure half that amount a week earlier. He expressed concern over the fact that 25 percent of flood claims occur in areas considered to be medium or low risk for flooding.

"Based on reports from insurance companies and from what I've seen personally, the insured losses are easily [$500 million]," said Oxendine. "I spent some time surveying damage in affected areas of our state, and many of the homeowners afflicted by this event don't have flood insurance." The Commissioner said that flooding caused damage in Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Stephens, and Walker Counties.