The rains came. Mercifully to drought-stricken prairies and forests, but mercilessly to other areas.

In Hermosa, residents are starting to recover after 5 to 10 inches of rain fell furiously on Aug. 17. Floodwaters from Battle Creek damaged more than 30 homes there, sweeping three off their foundations.

The Piedmont area suffered baseball-sized hail during a wind and rain storm that same day that damaged nearly all of the town's 150 homes and many vehicles.

Gov. Mike Rounds waited to tour Hermosa until Monday, at the suggestion of county officials, but quickly issued the emergency disaster declaration that Custer County Emergency Managment director Mike Carter asked for after seeing the flood damage up close.

That brings much-needed state resources to the area, both immediately and longer term.

The S.D. National Guard brought 23 soldiers, dump trucks, bucket loaders and other heavy equipment from its 842nd Engineering Co. to move debris.

State agency officials opened an assistance center at the community hall, where residents whose homes were lost or damaged can access emergency assistance. State housing and rural development officials will also be on hand to discuss housing loans and longer-term financial help as the community rebuilds.

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Sen. John Thune, both back in the state thanks to Congress' August recess, saw the flood damage firsthand Monday and Tuesday.

It is unclear whether Hermosa or Piedmont will qualify for any federal assistance, given the smaller scales of both disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency sets a million-dollar damage threshold to public infrastructure. While there was significant damage to private homes in both places, roads and other public facilities escaped significant losses.

Both communities have a lot of work ahead of them, but much to be thankful for, too.

Red Cross assistance, the state's emergency disaster declaration and the volunteer labor of friends, family and neighbors will bring much-needed relief to the areas over time.

And given the torrential rains and the huge hail stones Piedmont and Hermosa endured, it was, as more than a few residents noted, amazing that no one was seriously injured or killed.