State of Emergency 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.

Important links:

Justice Calls On FEMA, Lawmakers To Supplement Storm Aid

After intense storms last week, Gov. Jim Justice is seeking federal aid from FEMA and the creation of an on-retainer state emergency fund by West Virginia lawmakers.

Updated on Wednesday, April 10 at 3:35 p.m.

Gov. Jim Justice is developing a disaster declaration request for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over severe weather events that occurred across West Virginia last week.

If approved, the request would grant federal relief funding to West Virginia residents affected by last week’s incidents, which included flooding, tornadoes, and destructive winds. The storms claimed the life of one Wood County resident and wrought structural and property damage statewide.

To qualify as a FEMA disaster, weather emergencies must reach a threshold of local damage that warrants federal intervention.

To strengthen the state’s case for a disaster declaration, Justice said during a virtual press briefing Wednesday that he would combine each of last week’s incidents into a single request.

“The problem with FEMA is they want a great number of people that are affected, or a great amount of property damage,” he said.

Justice has already declared ongoing states of emergency for 12 different counties in response to the incidents. These declarations facilitate state-level emergency response efforts, but do not secure the funding a FEMA disaster declaration provides on the federal level.

During the call, Justice also voiced disapproval of state lawmaker’s inaction on aspects of his budget proposal for the 2024 regular legislative session, which he said would have aided the state’s response to the emergencies so far.

Storms in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle elevated the Ohio River’s water levels, causing severe flooding in nearby Wheeling last week.

*Photo Credit: Wheeling Fire Department*

Justice specifically pointed to a $50 million emergency fund that he requested to have on retainer for unexpected crises.

“The $50 million in regard to emergency funds, because of catastrophic events within our state, is something that is so important,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”

But, in a statement following Wednesday’s briefing, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, pushed back against Justice’s characterization of budget proceedings.

Hanshaw said that any funding set aside in this year’s budget would not yet have been accessible in response to last week’s storms.

Additionally, Hanshaw said that the state’s $85 million Civil Contingent Fund can be applied toward immediate disaster relief with the governor’s approval.

“If the governor wishes to respond to this tragedy in any way, he has the full capacity to do so, unfettered by the Legislature,” he said.

Justice has already declared that he will call lawmakers back to the Capitol before May 14 for a special session of the West Virginia Legislature, with expansions to the state’s budget at the top of his mind.

In pushing for these expansions, Justice said he will renew calls for the state to set aside an emergency relief fund.

“I will surely put that back on the call,” he said.

**Editor’s note: This story was updated to include a comment from Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay.

Active Duty And Retired Military Eligible For Emergency Prescriptions Due To Storms

Uniformed service members, military retirees and their families served by TRICARE are eligible for emergency prescription refills due to recent inclement weather.

The Defense Health Agency announced Thursday that TRICARE beneficiaries in four counties in West Virginia may receive emergency prescription refills now through April 13, 2024, due to storm damage.

The Defense Health Agency and TRICARE serve uniformed service members, military retirees and their families.

Beneficiaries in Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln and Nicholas counties are eligible for the emergency waiver.

On Thursday afternoon, Gov. Jim Justice amended his State of Emergency to include Barbour, Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Wetzel and Wood counties.

The Defense Health Agency told West Virginia Public Broadcasting via email that the waiver will not be extended to those counties at this time.

To receive an emergency medication refill, TRICARE beneficiaries should take their prescription bottle to any TRICARE retail network pharmacy. Patients are advised to visit the pharmacy where the prescription was originally filled.

To find a network pharmacy, beneficiaries may call Express Scripts at 1-877-363-1303 or search the network pharmacy locator.

Justice Expands Storm Emergency Declaration To 8 New Counties

On Thursday, Gov. Jim Justice expanded a state of emergency declaration to include seven additional West Virginia counties: Barbour, Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Wetzel and Wood counties.

Updated on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 12:15 p.m.

On Monday, Gov. Jim Justice expanded last week’s state of emergency declaration to include Pleasants County.

Justice cited “severe thunderstorms” that caused “flooding, downed trees, power outages and road blockages” for the local community last week in a Monday press release.

With the expanded declaration, a state of emergency is now in place for 15 counties across the state in response to the storms.

Original Story: Justice Expands Storm Emergency Declaration To 7 New Counties

Gov. Jim Justice expanded a Tuesday state of emergency declaration to include seven additional West Virginia counties on Thursday.

Under the amended declaration, Barbour, Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Wetzel and Wood counties are now under a state of emergency.

They join Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln and Nicholas counties, which received the declaration earlier this week.

The emergency declaration follows intense storms that stretched across West Virginia, bringing power outages, structural damages and even an EF-2 tornado in Fayette County, with winds of 130 mph.

By expanding the emergency declaration, Justice opened new counties up to emergency response resources.

Meanwhile, a state of preparedness declaration that Justice issued on Tuesday remains in effect for all 55 counties in the state.

A step down from a state of emergency, this declaration still encourages residents to stay vigilant regarding public safety concerns.

For additional information on the storms, visit the National Weather Service website.

Residents seeking non-emergency assistance related to the storms can contact local dispatchers through the West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WVEMD). Visit the WVEMD website for more information.

Justice Declares State Of Emergency, Sweeping Storms Cause Power Outages

A powerful line of storms rolled across West Virginia on Tuesday, knocking down trees and powerlines. The storms brought power outages for more than 100,000 residents across the state.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Updated on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 3:20 p.m.

Gov. Justice has declared a State of Emergency for Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln and Nicholas counties Tuesday due to severe thunderstorms with high winds, which caused flooding, downed trees, power outages, and road blockages.

The declaration is a proactive measure ensuring the allocation of necessary resources and expedition of emergency response efforts. The State of Emergency allows State and Local agencies to take swift and decisive actions to mitigate the impact of the storms and protect the lives and property of West Virginians.

Original Story: Sweeping Storms Spur Tornado Watch, Power Outages

A powerful line of storms rolled across West Virginia on Tuesday, knocking down trees and powerlines.

According to the National Weather Service, several rounds of thunderstorms are expected to continue into the night.

The storms could also bring “damaging winds, large hail, flash flooding and tornadoes,” the National Weather Service reported.

Storms will hit central West Virginia between 4 and 9 p.m. and move east.

In response to the storms, Marshall University closed its campuses for the remainder of the day Tuesday afternoon.

In West Virginia, storms knocked down trees and powerlines throughout Tuesday, bringing tornado and thunderstorm advisories to counties across the state.

*Graphic Credit: National Weather Service*

Emergency alerts and sirens sounded across Kanawha County Tuesday morning, as thirteen counties in southwestern West Virginia were placed under a tornado watch.

The Kanawha County Commission issued a state of emergency over the storms Tuesday afternoon. In a press release, the commission said 911 dispatchers had received more than 500 calls regarding the tornado warning that morning.

“Metro received calls regarding structure collapses, entrapments, vehicle wrecks, fires, fallen trees, and many medical calls,” the press release read. “There [have] been reported touch downs of tornadoes in the western portion of the county, but no confirmation at this time.”

As of 12:30 p.m., Appalachian Power reported 118,000 power outages, 53,000 of them in Kanawha County alone.

The commission urged Gov. Jim Justice to issue Kanawha County a state of emergency over the weather.

For additional updates on the storms, visit the National Weather Service website.

Winter Weather Covers West Virginia

West Virginia is under a Winter Storm Warning from the National Weather Service and a State of Emergency from Gov. Jim Justice.

The entire state of West Virginia is under either a winter weather advisory or a winter storm warning.

“We have got a winter storm warning for much of our forecast area,” Simone Lewis, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Charleston, said. “So pretty much the whole state of West Virginia has either got a winter storm warning or a winter weather advisory and that’s for late this evening, lasting through Saturday morning.”

Starting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 and lasting through 10 a.m. Saturday morning, Jan. 20 heavy snow is expected with a possible accumulation of four to 12 inches, depending on the region.

“We are expecting a general four to six inches, and that includes down in the southern coalfields also. And then once you get into the mountainous counties, we’re expecting eight to 12 inches,” Lewis said.

Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency for all 55 West Virginia counties ahead of the storm on Thursday afternoon. The State of Emergency allows state agencies to coordinate ahead of a possible weather event, including by pre-positioning personnel, vehicles, equipment and other assets.

“All West Virginians need to absolutely be ready for the potential impact this winter storm may bring to our state,” Justice said. “West Virginians should pay extra close attention to emergency officials and media outlets, and be prepared if there are power outages. West Virginians take care of one another, so make sure you check on your neighbors and loved ones, too.”

The wind chill is expected to be 16 degrees on Friday before it drops to -2 degrees on Saturday morning. Lewis said by Saturday, the heaviest accumulations will generally be over with.

“It’d be probably about mid to late evening and lasting through much of the day Friday,” Lewis said. “Saturday, the system will start to pull off to the east, but we will continue to see some lingering light snow shower activity across the state.”

The West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WV EMD) has been placed on standby to support the State Emergency Operations Center should the need arise.

EMD has posted non-emergency numbers for each county 911 center.

The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) crew continues their snow removal and ice control operations.

“We are prepared for any snowfall event, whether it’s an inch of snow or a foot of snow,” said Joe Pack, P.E., WVDOH chief engineer of District Operations. “We attack each storm with the same level of importance of having every available truck on the road, with a driver in it, plow mounted on it, and salt in the back.”

Statewide, WVDOH has a stockpile of more than 231,000 tons of salt. A typical snowplow holds 12 tons of salt, enough to treat about 100 lane miles of road.