Flooding brings “complete devastation” to West Virginia communities
FAIRMONT, W.V. — With residents still reeling from unusual summer storms that brought flash floods Saturday morning, West Virginia officials and county employees describe the flooding as a “complete devastation” and “one of the worst floods” for the affected areas.
No fatalities or major injuries were reported, but the rural communities of Mannington, Rachel, Farmington — all near the Pennsylvania border — were reported to have experienced more than 30 water rescues, multiple road closures, including a portion of U.S. 19. Much of the city of Fairmont was left without power.
Areas of Mannington, including the community’s downtown and Hough Park, were under water, while bridges in Rachel and Farmington were covered with floodwater and debris. Buffalo Creek was reported flooded at 25 feet.
Residents’ vehicles could be seen with water above the hoods, and basements and backyards were detailed as “swamp-like.”
Mannington’s Mayor Jim Taylor, who was born and raised in Mannington, said that “this is the worst I’ve ever seen it.”
He called the damage “just pure devastation.”
Chris McIntire, director of the Marion County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, described the Mannington area as “one of the worst floods in that section of the county that I’ve ever seen.”
After releasing a state of emergency for multiple counties, Gov. Jim Justice issued a statement Saturday that read, “I urge all West Virginians to join Cathy and I as we continue to pray for the safety and well-being of all of our citizens that have been impacted by this flooding.”
Justice mobilized the National Guard in response to the flooding and his convoy drove by home after home with their belongings either drying on the lawn or by the road waiting to FEMA workers to pick them up.
At Blackshere Elementary School in Mannington, first-grade teacher Theresa Michael led the relief effort in the school’s gym. Locals who were not as severely impacted by the waters dropped off supplies for their neighbors who were.
“I don’t know that there’s a person here that didn’t get hit (by the water),” Michael said. “The downtown area, the businesses, all got hit very hard. They had 5 to 6 feet of water in their businesses, and the residents around had 5 to 6 feet in their basements and houses.”
Goodrich writes for the Fairmont, Times West Virginian.