West Virginia Floods Leave At Least Five Dead

Severe flooding swept across northern West Virginia over the weekend, resulting in the deaths of at least five individuals, while the search for four others who are still unaccounted for continues, according to authorities.

The fatalities were all reported within Ohio County, confirmed by Alex Lanfranconi, the spokesperson for West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, on Sunday evening.

Emergency officials from Wheeling-Ohio County stated that at least four residents remain missing.

A sudden burst of rainfall, measuring between 2.5 and 4 inches, drenched Ohio County within a span of just thirty minutes on Saturday night. This deluge prompted the National Weather Service to issue an uncommon flash flood emergency—the highest level of flood alert—due to the intense weather conditions.

More storm systems swept through northern West Virginia on Sunday, triggering an additional flash flood emergency, this time affecting parts of Marion County later in the day.

In response, Ohio and Marion Counties were both placed under a state of emergency on Sunday, allowing greater deployment of state resources, including the National Guard, to bolster local rescue operations.

Authorities reported evacuations and water rescues underway in Marion County on Sunday afternoon.

“As flash floods continue throughout North Central West Virginia, emergency officials are on the scene in Marion County at a partial apartment collapse and state resources are being coordinated to the region immediately,” Morrisey said in an X post Sunday evening.

“Please — stay off the roads,” he said.

Roughly two hours north in the city of Wheeling, officials were deeply engaged in search and rescue operations following Saturday night’s flooding, as confirmed during a briefing with state and local leaders on Sunday.

Parts of Ohio County “have major infrastructure damage to roads, bridges and highways,” delaying search and rescue efforts, said Lou Vargo, Director Wheeling-Ohio County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

Residents displaced by the disaster have been directed to Elm Grove Elementary School in Wheeling for temporary shelter, Vargo said. He mentioned that no fewer than 12 people arrived there for safety on Saturday night.

Wheeling Fire Department Chief Jim Blazier noted that rescue resources were “quickly overwhelmed” by Saturday’s events. However, “this morning, we regrouped,” Blazier said, explaining that conditions on the ground had stabilized somewhat.

“We’re searching the banks, submerged vehicles, any debris that we find along the trail and so forth,” he said.

The threat of further rainfall persists as forecasts predict a continued stretch of wet weather across these flood-stricken regions. Rain and thunderstorms remain likely in West Virginia through at least Thursday, increasing the risk of worsening floods or fresh flash flood events.


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