Categories: U.S.

West Virginia floodwaters trigger state of emergency in some areas

close Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for August 28

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on Foxnews.com.

  • Thunderstorms left behind dangerous floodwaters in parts of West Virginia on Monday, with up to 6 inches of rain being reported over an inordinately short timespan.
  • Republican Gov. Jim Justice issued a state of emergency for five counties, and local officials are urging affected residents to take shelter.
  • “This is an ongoing, life-threatening emergency,” the Kanawha County Commission — which serves the state’s capital, Charleston, and municipalities surrounding it — posted on social media. “Please seek higher ground.”

Thunderstorms dumped heavy rains that caused significant flooding in parts of West Virginia on Monday, authorities said.

Gov. Jim Justice issued a state of emergency in at least five counties, enabling the National Guard to activate swift-water rescue teams and use helicopters in areas hit by floodwaters.

“This is an ongoing, life-threatening emergency,” the Kanawha County Commission said on social media. “Please seek higher ground.”

CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL FIELD FLOODED AS TROPICAL STORM HILARY HAMMERS REGION

The commission said that based on radar estimates, up to 6 inches of rain fell in a short amount of time Monday in areas east of Charleston, sending several creeks out of their banks. Classes at several schools were canceled. Mudslides closed U.S. Route 60 in the Kanawha County community of Cedar Grove, and flooding led to lane closures on parts of Interstate 77.

First responders conducted at least 22 water rescues in the county Monday morning, the commission said.

Communities hit the hardest were along hillsides where runoff flowed into narrow valleys.

Heavy rains have led to significant flooding in parts of West Virginia, eliciting grave warnings from local officials.

“The mountains we have make it really, really tough,” Justice said during his weekly media briefing. “We’ve got more and more hardship on people and it’s a crying shame. It’s very very, very difficult no matter what is done to be able to get away from that.”

The rains fell on top of ground saturated by previous severe storms over the weekend. A bridge in the Chelyan area whose timber deck was lifted off its steel beams by debris and floodwaters was repaired on Sunday, only to be underwater again on Monday, the state Department of Transportation said.

VIDEO SHOWS HOUSE IN JUNEAU, ALASKA, COLLAPSING INTO FLOODED MENDENHALL RIVER

“It was just a downpour,” Pond Gap resident Terry Keenan said. “I got up at 6 o’clock, and it was raining real hard.”

It marked the third time in a year that severe flooding hit southern West Virginia. In February, the body of an infant was found in a submerged car in the Fayette County town of Pax. In August 2022, flooding in Fayette and Kanawha counties damaged more than 100 homes, bridges and roads, disrupted drinking water systems and washed out part of a public service district’s sewage collection system serving a prison.

In June 2016, 23 people died in flooding statewide.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“It’s just echoes the haunting feelings of June 23, 2016, when it ripped through everywhere and it was devastation beyond belief,” the governor said.

Share

Recent Posts

Entire police department resigns leaving South Carolina community without law enforcement presence

close Video Town's former police chief explains why entire department resigned Former Geary, Oklahoma, Police…

1 hour ago

Wrong-way driver arrested after striking multiple vehicles, shootout with police officer: ‘He’s got a gun!’

close Video Wrong-way driver caught on video firing rifle at officer at striking multiple vehicles…

1 hour ago

Blinken questioned for State Department hosting in-house therapy sessions after Trump win

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., took aim at Secretary of State Antony Blinken after it was…

2 hours ago

Fetterman admits Dems ‘sort of lost ourselves’ on key election issue

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., acknowledged that Democrats had a major problem when it came to…

4 hours ago

Sanctuary states, cities should explain to DOGE why they deserve federal money: MTG

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Sunday said leaders of sanctuary states and cities should…

4 hours ago

Manchin slams ‘17 educated idiots’ that were advising Biden during COVID

Outgoing Independent West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin slammed some of the advice President Biden received…

4 hours ago