CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia flash floods swamped homes and businesses after torrential rain, washing out bridges and triggering dozens of water rescues as search operations continued Wednesday with some residents unaccounted for, according to state officials.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey said hundreds of West Virginia National Guard members were mobilized to the hardest-hit northern communities, and a state of emergency was declared for all 55 counties Tuesday night. The governor said the Division of Natural Resources was involved in 85 rescues, and 19 National Guard and state police helicopters were either conducting missions or on standby.
Three shelters opened Wednesday housed more than 100 residents, the governor said at a news conference.
Asked whether anyone remained missing, Morrisey said officials did not have a precise number and expressed concern about potential fatalities. He said more information would be released when confirmed.
Morrisey urged residents to support recovery efforts. “This is a time for West Virginians to come together,” he said, adding that help will be needed in the days and weeks ahead to rebuild affected communities.
Lars Dalseide, the governor’s communications director, said in an email that specific information related to the flooding would be released only after established procedures are followed and facts are verified to ensure accuracy.
Sgt. 1st Class Ariana Shuemake, public affairs officer for the West Virginia National Guard, referred questions about possible deaths to the governor’s office.
Requests for similar information to the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security spokesman Andy Malinoski and the directors of emergency management in Lewis and Upshur counties were not immediately returned.
Intensity of West Virginia flash floods
Forecasters reported up to 7 inches, or 18 centimeters, of rainfall, and Morrisey said some areas saw 4.5 inches, or 11.4 centimeters, in just 37 minutes. “There’s no place for the water to go,” he said.
Images and video on social media showed vehicles submerged in parking lots, including at a Walmart in Weston, where muddy water pushed far into the store. Across a nearby highway, floodwater inundated a hotel’s main floor.
Emergency crews carried out dozens of rescues for people trapped in flooded vehicles. Some teams could not reach certain locations where access was cut off by high water.
Local officials said they were waiting for waters to recede before designating public drop-off points for donations. Buckhannon Mayor Robbie Skinner said West Virginia Wesleyan College would serve as one such site. “This is heartbreaking,” Skinner said. “This is not something you want to see in your hometown. But we will get past it. We will get through it.”
The storms were part of a broader system that also produced reports of tornadoes from the Cincinnati area across New Jersey to suburbs of New York City. Damage from a possible tornado was reported near St. Marys and Belmont in West Virginia.
Soils were already saturated after more than 2 inches, or 5 centimeters, of rain fell statewide on Saturday.
Although skies cleared Wednesday, flood warnings remained for several counties in low-lying areas and along rivers and creeks. Flood watches were posted across a wide area from eastern Tennessee into Virginia and North Carolina.
Emergency radio traffic surged late Tuesday in Lewis and Upshur counties, which together have about 40,000 residents. First responders conducted water rescues through the night into Wednesday, County Commissioner Agnes Quinn Queen said, describing the damage in a social media post as extensive.
Flooding forced closures on portions of Interstate 79, U.S. Route 48, and numerous secondary roads. In Fayetteville, a sinkhole linked to the storm swallowed a vehicle at a bar.
The deluge struck roughly a decade after heavy rains over the same region led to 23 deaths.
U.S. Geological Survey gauge data showed Sand Run, a creek tributary near Buckhannon, reached a record level, surpassing a benchmark set during a November 1985 flood that resulted in 47 deaths statewide.
Officials said search, rescue, and damage assessments would continue as communities begin cleanup and recovery.
