Five people have died in flash floods in northern West Virginia, caused by heavy rain. Rescue teams are still searching for three missing individuals. Authorities are assessing the damage to roads, bridges, natural gas pipelines, and other infrastructure.
Officials said that on Saturday night (June 14), parts of Wheeling and Ohio County received 2.5 to 4 inches (6 to 10 centimeters) of rainfall within about half an hour.
Lou Vargo, the director of emergency management in Ohio County, stated at a press conference on Sunday, “We almost immediately started getting 911 calls for individuals trapped and needing rescue. During this time, we suffered significant damage to infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and highways, making it difficult for us to respond to many incidents occurring in these areas. Therefore, our response time was delayed due to the severity of the damage.”
“Things happened too fast, too quickly… I’ve been in this line of work for 35 years. I have seen major floods in this city and county. I have never seen a situation like this before,” added Vargo.
Authorities reported that the floods swept vehicles into rising streams, with some people seeking refuge by climbing trees.
A similar flash flood also hit Marion County, south of Wheeling and Ohio County, on Sunday afternoon, causing severe damage to bridges, roads, and some houses. The County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency posted on Facebook that the county’s 911 system had received at least 165 calls for help since the storm began.
Governor Patrick Morrisey announced on Sunday evening that Marion County has been declared in a state of emergency.
Jim Blazier, the fire chief of Wheeling City, stated that rescue teams worked through Sunday morning. He also mentioned that rescue personnel regrouped on Sunday morning and expanded the focus of search and rescue efforts.
Morrisey confirmed in a news release on Sunday night that there were approximately 2500 reported power outages in the county. The confirmed death toll was updated to five, with three people still missing. He declared a state of emergency in Ohio County and mobilized the National Guard to support emergency response efforts.
(Reference: The Associated Press)