flash flood Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Governor Widens State Of Emergency; Storm Clean Up Continues

A total of 26 counties in West Virginia are now under a state of emergency declaration following heavy rains, tornadoes and storms last week, and the heavy rains and storms that hit the state on April 11.

Gov. Jim Justice has amended last week’s State of Emergency to include Boone, Braxton, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Jackson, Logan, Mingo, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wayne and Wirt counties.

The initial group included Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln and Nicholas counties on April 2, and then two days later, the governor added Barbour, Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Wetzel, and Wood counties. On April 8, Justice added Pleasants County.

West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) road crews continue to work to assess and clean up damage caused by a massive storm that moved through the state on April 11.

Most of the state had been under a tornado watch until 9 p.m. Thursday. Tornadoes did not materialize, but high winds and a largely stationary storm front dumped record amounts of rainfall on the Kanawha Valley and other parts of West Virginia, leading to mud and rock slides, downed trees and flash flooding.

Some parts of the state received five inches of rainfall in the space of several hours.

WVDOH Chief Engineer of Operations Joe Pack said the worst of the flooding was concentrated north of Interstate 64.

As of 2 p.m. Friday, April 12, multiple roads remained closed by high water in Kanawha, Cabell, Jackson, Clay, Mason, Lincoln, Pleasants, Wood, Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Morgan, Brooke, Marshall, Ohio, Tyler and Wetzel counties.

In Kanawha County, record rainfall overwhelmed storm drains on Interstate 64 near the Greenbrier Street exit, flooding the interstate. WVDOH work crews waded into the rushing water with rakes to clear the drains by hand.

Pack said that, once the water recedes, WVDOH road crews can assess any damage to the roadway and plan any repairs.

The State of Emergency declaration is a proactive measure ensuring the allocation of necessary resources and expediting emergency response efforts. It allows state and local agencies to take swift and decisive actions to mitigate the dangers to protect the lives and property of West Virginians.

Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and monitor official emergency management and local media accounts for updates.

Last week, Justice issued a State of Preparedness for all 55 counties, which is still in effect.

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After Devastating Floods, Small Communities Take Steps Toward Recovery

Sigman said the quick response from residents, first responders, and state and local officials resulted in better outcomes for the safety of residents. The National Weather Service said it received its first call about flooding at 6:45 a.m. By 7a.m. a warning had been issued and sirens were activated.

The recovery and assessment process began Tuesday in eastern Kanawha County where floods damaged homes, vehicles, bridges, and roadways.

On Wednesday the Kanawha County Commission reported that at least 78 homes were affected, three were destroyed, and seven remain inaccessible according to a survey the commission issued. The commission expects this number to rise as more residents complete the survey, many of whom live in the areas most severely affected.

There were no fatalities from the flood. Emergency Management Director CW Sigman said that’s mostly due to residents making good choices by not attempting to cross streams.

“I know, it was a very scary time for the folks to be in houses with water rushing in back,” said Sigman. “I talked to one lady who had grandchildren on the opposite end of the road she’s on and she was just in tears because she was worried about her grandchildren. But they didn’t get out into the high water and that saves lives.”

The flood flashed quickly, many residents said that it rose faster than any other flood they had seen — rising feet in a matter of hours.

Fast Moving Water Is Powerful

Sigman says that many of the streams that saw the worst flooding like the Slaughter Creek watershed had steep gradient streams. The water moved quickly down into valleys where residential communities live. Sigman says that the water, sediment, and debris it brought with it caused lasting damage to the creek bed and banks.

Sigman visited one of the affected homes where he was told the homeowners had just made their first mortgage payment. The creek behind the home had eroded so severely that it had moved 10 feet closer to their home — possibly putting it at a higher flood risk for future storms.

“That kind of damage is disturbing with how much sediment came with it and how much the creek banks and the hillsides have caved in,” Sigman said.

Water Quality Affected

As water moved through the hills, it collected debris, sediments, bacteria, and chemicals. The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department has detected E. Coli in a residential water well that was tainted during Monday’s floods.

The Health Department is encouraging residents to have wells tested for free to avoid ingesting the deadly strain of bacteria.

“I hope this information gets out to residents who clearly have so much going on in their lives right now. We really don’t want an emergency room visit for a E. coli infection to be one more ordeal they have to contend with right now,” said KCHD Health Officer Dr. Steven Eshenaur.

Many of the areas where the rain fell have been heavily mined, which could also affect the quality of the water. A study published in the Journal of Hydrology said that water discharged from active or inactive coal mine sites has higher acidity and can contain heavy metals.

Insurance Payouts And FEMA Disaster Declaration For Small Communities

State and local officials are working to assess damage to homes and infrastructure. Once the process is complete, the localities will send numbers to the governor who can then request a FEMA disaster declaration.

Sigman says there are multiple qualifiers that FEMA is looking for to declare a disaster declaration. For example, the state must meet a threshold of $3 million in damage to infrastructure.

“They look at vulnerability factors. You know you live in an area that has a lot of retired citizens, people with disabilities or other vulnerability factors, FEMA will factor that in,” Sigman said.

Sigman said that FEMA is in place to help a community though the crisis but usually does not work to replace homes or rebuild infrastructure.

Local Response And Plan

The Kanawha County Commission has worked with other agencies and community members to assist flood victims. They are still accepting donations, and say they specifically need contractor grade trash bags, bleach, push brooms, and shovels. They do not accept clothing or cash donations. Supply Distribution points are at Belle Town Hall and Chesapeake Town Hall.

On Tuesday, Curbside Debris Collection will begin in Slaughters Creek, Winifrede-Fields Creek, Witcher Creek, Kelly’s Creek, and Horsemill Hollow. The Kanawha County Planning and Development Office is asking that debris be placed off Private Property, onto the road. The office also asks that residents report damage so that official recovery processes can begin.

Flooded Communities Face Uncertainty With More Rain On The Way

Flooding throughout the day Monday caused significant damage to roads, houses and bridges in central and southern West Virginia. There have been no deaths reported so far due to flooding. Officials are still working to assess damage. Many houses were flooded, and some were washed away.

Updated on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.

Flooding throughout the day caused significant damage to roads, houses and bridges in central and southern West Virginia.

There have been no deaths reported so far due to flooding. Officials are still working to assess damage. Many houses were flooded and some were washed away.

Communities along Witcher Creek, Slaughter Creek and Fields Creek saw some of the most significant flooding. Waters have retreated back to creeks and rivers — where flows remain dangerously high. However, with more rain likely this evening and tomorrow, flood advisories remain active.

The National Weather Service said another inch of rain could be on the way Monday night.

Kanawha County Commissioner Lance Wheeler was at the Emergency Operations Center at Kanawha County Metro 911. He said fire departments in Charleston and Fayette and Cabell counties are waiting to see what the weather does, and where the water goes.

“Everybody’s still on standby. They are looking at what water is coming and what it’s going to look like and if there are going to be more evacuations necessary,” said Wheeler.

Wheeler said this amount of rainfall — 6-9 inches in affected areas — coupled with already saturated soil from a rainy weekend made the floods an especially dangerous situation.

“So, the flooding has been enormous at this point,” he said. “If there’s anyone out there who thinks that this is just a small flood that hit this area, they’re drastically wrong.”

Kanawha County officials say that from 6:45 a.m., when the Kanawha County Metro 911 started receiving calls, until 4 p.m., there were more than 700 calls and 22 water rescues. Assessors have not released official numbers, but Wheeler said that around 60 homes were washed away in the floods.

Jenna Sigmon lives along one of the most heavily flooded creeks, Slaughter Creek, and said she is used to floods, but this one is one of the worst she has ever seen.

“It was like kind of crazy, because we just woke up this morning and there was massive floods,” she said. “And the water came up over the bank all into our yard.”

Her house was flooded. Sigmon went over to a neighbor’s house across the road to get away from the water, but the water ended up crossing the street over to that house as well.

“It just kept rising and rising. Like two feet within ten minutes,” said Sigmon.

The water did eventually recede, but her yard and others around were bogged with water. She said she was expecting a flood, but not one this bad.

If you or anyone you know needs assistance escaping flooding, call 911 or (304) 348–8111 to reach the Metro 911 Emergency flood line.

Original Post: Flash Flood Emergency Declared In Several W.Va. Counties

The National Weather Service Monday issued a flash flood emergency for Kanawha County that is considered life threatening. It also issued flash flood warnings for parts of Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, and Roane counties. The National Weather Service says residents should seek higher ground and avoid flooded areas.

Gov. Jim Justice declared a State of Emergency in those counties. Heavy rainfall over the weekend and throughout Monday morning has caused flash floods that have damaged homes, roads, and bridges in affected areas. There are reports of high water along Witcher Creek in eastern Kanawha County.

The West Virginia Emergency Management Division has implemented an emergency plan to mobilize appropriate personnel and resources to respond to the emergency.

The National Guard is working to prepare for emergency dispatch with arial assets like helicopters, swift water rescues teams, and extra personnel. Kanawha County’s Emergency Operations Center is actively working to assist with water rescues and other emergency assistance.

The West Virginia Division of Highways is working to assist residents and clear the road from culverts, mudslides, and other damage from heavy rains throughout affected counties. Mudslides closed both lanes of US 60 in Belle and on the West Virginia Turnpike near Chelyan at Mile Marker 85.5 where the southbound right lane is closed.

FEMA, local officials, and other organizations are also working to offer aid to residents needing assistance.