UPDATE: Possible Ninth Flood Fatality Identified; New Housing Aid Available

A possible ninth fatality from the devastating flash flooding that struck Ohio County earlier this month has been identified but not yet confirmed, according to Gov. Patrick Morrisey.

The governor traveled to Ohio County on Wednesday to provide updates on the ongoing recovery effort following the severe weather incident that began June 14.

Eight deaths have been confirmed so far from the flooding. Morrisey said Wednesday his office had a “strong suspicion” that a ninth individual died from the flooding, and that he would provide more information as it becomes available.

“Every death we’ve had to report has weighed very heavily on my mind,” Morrisey said. “We can rebuild roads and we can rebuild homes. You can’t take back the loss of life.”

Morrisey also announced that the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF) would open a $500,000 pool of discretionary funds to assist individuals and families for housing costs incurred during the flood.

“That could be a housing deposit, it could be rent, it could be other housing expenses as well,” he said. “Anyone affected by the flood will be able to take advantage of that.”

Morrisey said those funds will be accessible through September 2025. He urged residents affected by the floods to visit the WVHDF website to learn more, and to access the application portal.

“Rebuilding is going to take some time, but it’s important that people have housing,” Morrisey said. “There are opportunities for them to get assistance that they need.”

Meanwhile, Morrisey applauded state agencies and other groups for their ongoing recovery efforts in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. That included the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), plus the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which he said is still conducting damage assessments on the ground in Ohio County.

“The county is going to recover. We can’t take away the loss of life, but we can be there for our friends, our neighbors, our families, our communities,” he said. “To do everything we can to soldier on and honor the people that came before us.”