The death toll in West Virginia has grown to six after heavy rain triggered catastrophic flash flooding across the state. Two individuals remain missing, according to the governor’s office, and a state of emergency is currently in place.
Deadly rain and catastrophic flooding forced Gov. Patrick Morrisey to declare a state of emergency on Sunday, in addition to calling up the National Guard to support local emergency departments. Morrisey said in his emergency declaration: “As flash floods continue throughout North Central West Virginia, emergency officials are on the scene in Marion County at a partial apartment collapse. State resources are being dispatched to the region immediately. Please — stay off the roads. Do not underestimate the strength and speed of these floods. Pray for our friends and neighbors during this challenging time for our state.”
Severe rainfall started in Wheeling, Triadelphia and Valley Grove on Saturday evening, with roughly 3 to 4 inches falling in a short period of time. Rising waters forced significant flooding along US 40 (National Road), Middle Wheeling Creek, Little Wheeling Creek, and several streams in Ohio County.
On Sunday, a residential building in Fairmont, Marion County, partially collapsed — an incident that prompted officials to declare a state of emergency. Video footage from the scene captured water gushing from the severely damaged structure as first responders rushed in to aid those affected.
Louis Vargo, the director of the Wheeling-Ohio County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, said “I’ve never seen anything like this,” with state officials adding that they are working with local emergency responders to locate missing people. Jim Blazier, chief of the Wheeling Fire Department, said that “emergency workers are using drones, dogs and swift-water rescue teams to search for those missing.”
As of Monday, the Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency established two water, cleaning supplies, food and clothing distribution sites to help those affected by the flooding. Fortunately, power outages reported Sunday afternoon were mostly restored by Monday morning.
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