West Virginia experiences tragic flash flood deaths, with a count of six, as search parties seek out those still unaccounted for
Flash flood disaster wreaks havoc in northern West Virginia
Brace yourself for an gut-wrenching tale of tragedy and resilience. A torrential rainstorm unleashed chaos in the northern West Virginia regions of Wheeling and Ohio County, resulting in an estimated 7 deaths - including a 3-year-old child - and leaving quite a few folks missing, as of the time of this writing.
A flood warning is still in effect through evening hours, as heavy rain is expected to continue throughout the day, according to the National Weather Service. For those keeping score, 2.5 to 4 inches of rain fell within about half an hour on Saturday night.
Lou Vargo, Ohio County's emergency management director, shared his harrowing firsthand account at a news conference: "We almost immediately started getting 911 calls for rescue of people being trapped. During this time, we had major infrastructure damage to roads, bridges and highways where we couldn’t respond to a lot of incidents. So we were delayed in getting there because there was just so much damage."
Unbelievably, Vargo has worked in emergency management for 35 years, but "I've never seen anything like this". Picture this: vehicles sweeping into swollen creeks, people taking refuge in trees, fires, and general mayhem that'll keep you up at night.
The governor of West Virginia, Patrick Morrisey, declared a state of emergency in Marion County following the devastating impact of swift flash flooding. Rescue crews responded to the partial collapse of the Fairmont Village Apartment building, though no injuries were reported.
The stalled cold front and repeated low-pressure systems aren’t done with the area just yet. With saturated grounds and moderate rainfall rates expected to lead to further flooding, we urge you to heed the threat and stay off the roads until this crisis subsides.
For those directly affected, supplies such as water, food, paper products, and clothing will be available at two locations – 25 Armory Drive in Wheeling and G45 Caliber Drive in Triadelphia – beginning at 10 a.m. Monday. Let's stand together in support of our fellow West Virginians during this testing time.
Insight: The flood disaster in Wheeling and Ohio County has caused extensive damage, with at least 7 deaths reported. The State National Guard and FEMA are working together to support local response efforts, and an emergency shelter has been established at Fairmont State University due to a partial apartment building collapse in Marion County. Residents are highly advised to heed the flood threat, as more rain and flooding are possible in the coming days with continued stalled weather systems in the region [1][2][3][4].
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the affected regions, predicting more rain throughout the day, adding to the disaster [5]. Amidst the chaos, crime-and-justice reports have also surfaced, as local authorities grapple with incidents of accidents such as vehicles being swept into swollen creeks [6]. Moreover, the authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and stay informed about the changing weather conditions and the potential hazards of general-news like flooding and accidents [7].
