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President Barack Obama is extending his condolences and those of the nation to Governor Earl Ray Tomblin for the lives lost because of flooding.
In a statement, White House spokesman Eric Schultz says Obama spoke by phone to Governor Tomblin on Saturday while returning to Washington, D.C., from Seattle.
Schultz says Obama is committed to ensuring that Tomblin has the federal resources he needs for all recovery efforts.
Updated June 25 at 3:23 p.m.
West Virginia American Water updated its list of potable water tankers where customers can fill containers:
West Virginia American Water says it has also provided water tankers to the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to provide assistance to the flood-devastated communities of Richwood, Rainelle and White Sulphur Springs. Exact locations are determined by local emergency management.
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West Virginia American Water said Saturday, June 25, that it has restored service to most water systems affected by Thursday’s flooding in the southeastern part of the state. The company says it is now working on isolated pockets of water outages.
West Virginia American Water reported 3,000 customers in Kanawha County were experiencing water outages on Friday. The outages were the result of washed-out water mains and damaged pump stations.
The Elk River Road booster station outside of Charleston was under several feet of water, which stopped crews from being able to restore services in the Clendenin area just north of the capital city.
In a statement released Saturday, American said service has been restored to customers in the Joes Creek area of Boone County through a temporary water line installed at a washed-out river crossing, as well as to all but about 60 customers in the Winona area of Fayette County.
The company said crews will work throughout the night Saturday to install a temporary water line to Crossings Mall in Elkview using the emergency access road being created by the Division of Highways. Workers also are working overnight to gain access and begin repairs to the flooded Elk River Road booster station, which is a critical facility in the overall restoration process for the Elkview and Clendenin areas.
American Water said tankers are available at the following locations. Customers should bring their own containers to fill:
Because West Virginia American Water lent its additional water tankers to the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to help Richwood and Rainelle, the company got more tankers from its sister company in Pennsylvania.
The tankers are expected to arrive overnight and will be available in Clendenin as areas become accessible, the company said in its news release.
There are about 180 active AmeriCorps volunteers working in West Virginia. A new partnership between Volunteer West Virginia and the Red Cross is training many of these AmeriCorps to be ready to serve communities affected by disasters. Some of these volunteers have already been deployed in the last few weeks to assist residents affected by flooding and mudslides as part of a new statewide program called Disaster Corps.
The first week in March, homes in southern West Virginia were damaged, and people were displaced because of mudslides, snowstorms, and flooding. A Pocahontas County native, Shinaberry said that when the call came asking for volunteers to travel down to icy Mingo County, she said yes, even though she was apprehensive that she didn’t have enough carpentry skills.
“I have experience cause I grew up in a farming area, so I’m not new to hands on stuff. But I didn’t know what was going to be expected of me. I really don’t know how to build or repair anything.”
Thankfully, Shinaberry and her fellow AmeriCorps volunteers were working alongside other groups, like the American Baptist Men, who taught them how to do things like remove damaged drywall and carpets from homes that were affected by mudslides and flooding.
Another Disaster Corps volunteer, Jamielle Jackson, is originally from Detroit, where there is no shortage of need for assistance. But she says communities in Detroit are not used to the type of flooding people in southern West Virginia see.
Most of the Disaster Corps volunteers were involved with hands on work. But some of them, like Beckley native Torya Cummings, also helped with casework and getting folks set up with food, clothing and shelter.
“It was exciting and sad all at the same time to see the devastation that they have suffered, even the little things, like sliding your shoes on just walking out of the house, they had to leave without their shoes. And I mean, it’s like, minus 11 minus 10.”
Stephanie Yu is the executive director of Volunteer West Virginia, and she explains the Disaster Corps program came about partly in response to last year’s water crisis in Kanawha County, and the Derecho back in 2012. “There was sort of this idea that we needed to have this infrastructure so that when things like that happen we could have people ready to go.”
The Disaster Corps program is a partnership between Volunteer West Virginia and disaster response agencies, like the American Red Cross.
When there isn’t a disaster, these AmeriCorps continue to work on longer-term projects, like tutoring children or helping veterans. Torya Cummings admits leaving Mingo County after aiding in flood relief in the short term felt a little bit strange- almost like she was abandoning them.
“It was difficult leaving them and knowing I’m going home. and you have to stay here in this hotel, or you’re going to have to find family members that can take you in, or just totally rebuild. That’s got to be hard.”
A week after she returned from Mingo County, Cummings was deployed to Kanawha County to help residents displaced from the Yeager Airport Landslide. Some of those residents are still evacuated from their homes in the area directly affected by the slide, Keystone Drive, while others are in the process of deciding to stay in the area or sell their homes and move away.
Flood waters that left residents stranded in their homes have receded in most places, according to emergency services in some southern West Virginia Counties. The flood warning issued by the National Weather Service remains in effect until 6:45 p.m. Thursday for parts of West Virginia.
Emergency Services throughout the region say flooding or high water levels have improved, although the region is bracing for bitter cold temps.
In Fayette County dispatchers say at one time high waters stranded folks living in about 400 homes in Pax, Weirwood, and Horse Creek. They say, for the most part roads, are opening back up.
Dispatchers in Raleigh County say residents in about 10 homes remain displaced from their homes in Violet Lane in Beaver after being evacuated Wednesday.
Hadn't saw this in a while, nor wanted to. Photo credit – Amie Campbell. #StayHome #StayOffMullensRoads #FloodRoad! pic.twitter.com/dpc0bgmtLz
— 👊🏻John McGrady🇺🇸 (@JohnMcGrady) March 5, 2015
Dean Meadows, Director of Wyoming County, Emergency Services says folks in about 100 homes at Coon Branch are accessible with a four-wheel drive. Meadows says the water has receded but there is still a pile of mud and snow on the road.
Meadows says emergency officials used a boat to rescue a pregnant woman in labor from that area on Wednesday.
Dispatchers throughout the region are now prepping for colder temps which could create even more challenges for the region.
Route 19 south at Glen Jean in Fayette County shut down. Could be a long day for stranded travelers. pic.twitter.com/bS9wJFHNBj
— Jessica Lilly (@JessicaYLilly) March 5, 2015
The National Guard is assisting with monitoring the region. Meadows says the state of emergency declaration by the governor has reduced the possibility of major issues in the area.
On top of the flooding, several West Virginia Counties are under winter storm warnings until 7:00 p.m. tonight. Ice and snow has created dangerous driving conditions. Temperatures are expected to dip overnight putting emergency officials poised to open shelters for the thousands without power in West Virginia.
According to Appalachian Power’s website, 34, 957 AEP customers were without power as of 4:50 p.m. Thursday. There are almost 10, 000 customers in Cabell County without power.
High waters are creating dangerous conditions in southern West Virginia. Dispatchers say some residents are being evacuated.Emergency dispatchers in…
High waters are creating dangerous conditions in southern West Virginia. Dispatchers say some residents are being evacuated.
Emergency dispatchers in Wyoming County say that the rainfall Wednesday morning caused a mudslide. One resident in Jesse told dispatchers that part of the mountain slid into their residence. Deputies are on scene evaluating the situation.
Several roads in Wyoming County including route 971 in front of Westside High School are closed. Students were not in class because board members made the proactive decision to cancel school Wednesday, anticipating high waters in the region.
Some roads are also closed in Raleigh County due to high waters including parts of Airport Road between the Mining Academy and the Raleigh County Airport. Traffic is being rerouting because dispatchers say parts of the road have caved in.
Dispatchers also say about 10 homes were evacuated from Violet Lane in Beaver because of rising waters.
Video by Mel Petrey, standing on the bridge by Beaver hardware in Raleigh County.
Some roads in Mercer County are also closed. McDowell County officials are currently out in the region to assess the damage while Summers County is reporting no issues at this time.
Dispatchers throughout the region are bracing for more flood conditions.
Although all roads are passable, emergency services in McDowell County are still working to clean up the mess after recent flooding.
Heavy rains Wednesday night washed away roads and flooded the Panther area in McDowell County. The Office of Emergency Services is actively looking for a location for residents to put debris.
Dispatchers say that the West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, also known as WV VOAD, and the American Red Cross are actively determining which areas need service.
Dispatchers say about 100 people have been effected by this flood.
The McDowell Health Department will be offering well testing and tetanus vaccinations early this week. Emergency services say that exposure to flood water alone is not reason to get a vaccine. Only people who have not had a Td booster in the last ten years or five years if they have a severe wound.
Here’s contact information for services in McDowell County:
