Seven now confirmed dead in West Virginia flooding, more rain on the way
A seventh death has been confirmed following flash flooding in Ohio County over the weekend. (Wheeling Fire Department's Facebook page | Courtesy photo)
A seventh person died as a result of Saturday's catastrophic flash flooding in the Wheeling, West Virginia area, according to Gov. Patrick's Morrisey's office. The body of a 71-year-old woman was found at the Wetzel County dam.
A three-year-old child and her mother were also among those killed in the flooding.
Flash flooding began late Saturday evening in Ohio County, with roughly 3-4 inches of rain falling quickly Saturday. Two people remain missing as of Tuesday morning, according to the governor's office.
Ashlie Howard, 38, was cleaning up after cooking dinner for her children Saturday evening when water started rising rapidly in the creek along her property in Triadelphia.
'The creek, I'm going to say, had risen six to eight feet in less than five minutes,' she said. 'It was absolutely insane.'
The fast moving water forced Howard's trailer onto a neighbor's property, destroying her home along with a shed and vehicle. On Tuesday, she walked through the area where her trailer used to stand. She has recovered very little so far.
'The telephone pole that was next to my house is now underneath my trailer. Everything's destroyed,' she said. 'You can just see bits and pieces of my life, basically, stuck in the mud.'
The flooding hit Marion County on Sunday, where rushing water demolished an apartment complex. No fatalities or injuries were reported.
'Over the past few days, I've watched as West Virginians have come together with an indomitable spirit to support our brothers and sisters in need,' Morrisey said in a statement on Tuesday. The governor has visited Ohio and Marion counties to assess the damage. 'Together, we will overcome our challenges and rebuild after these devastating floods.'
Cleanup efforts are underway as volunteers are helping homeowners remove waterlogged walls and flooring and sort through damaged belongings. Several organizations are collecting items, including cleaning supplies, clothing, paper plates and utensils, and more, for those affected by the flooding.
Hundreds of people remain without power in Ohio County, and crews are working to restore service.
Morrisey's office said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground and working with state officials.
Flood watches continue for much of West Virginia, including the areas already impacted by the weekend storms. Morrisey said there is the possibility of further flash flooding.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Seven now confirmed dead in West Virginia flooding, more rain on the way
A seventh death has been confirmed following flash flooding in Ohio County over the weekend. (Wheeling Fire Department's Facebook page | Courtesy photo) A seventh person died as a result of Saturday's catastrophic flash flooding in the Wheeling, West Virginia area, according to Gov. Patrick's Morrisey's office. The body of a 71-year-old woman was found at the Wetzel County dam. A three-year-old child and her mother were also among those killed in the flooding. Flash flooding began late Saturday evening in Ohio County, with roughly 3-4 inches of rain falling quickly Saturday. Two people remain missing as of Tuesday morning, according to the governor's office. Ashlie Howard, 38, was cleaning up after cooking dinner for her children Saturday evening when water started rising rapidly in the creek along her property in Triadelphia. 'The creek, I'm going to say, had risen six to eight feet in less than five minutes,' she said. 'It was absolutely insane.' The fast moving water forced Howard's trailer onto a neighbor's property, destroying her home along with a shed and vehicle. On Tuesday, she walked through the area where her trailer used to stand. She has recovered very little so far. 'The telephone pole that was next to my house is now underneath my trailer. Everything's destroyed,' she said. 'You can just see bits and pieces of my life, basically, stuck in the mud.' The flooding hit Marion County on Sunday, where rushing water demolished an apartment complex. No fatalities or injuries were reported. 'Over the past few days, I've watched as West Virginians have come together with an indomitable spirit to support our brothers and sisters in need,' Morrisey said in a statement on Tuesday. The governor has visited Ohio and Marion counties to assess the damage. 'Together, we will overcome our challenges and rebuild after these devastating floods.' Cleanup efforts are underway as volunteers are helping homeowners remove waterlogged walls and flooring and sort through damaged belongings. Several organizations are collecting items, including cleaning supplies, clothing, paper plates and utensils, and more, for those affected by the flooding. Hundreds of people remain without power in Ohio County, and crews are working to restore service. Morrisey's office said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground and working with state officials. Flood watches continue for much of West Virginia, including the areas already impacted by the weekend storms. Morrisey said there is the possibility of further flash flooding. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
'Mother Nature at its worst:' Death toll from flash floods climbs to 6 in West Virginia
WHEELING, (AP) — The death toll from weekend flooding in West Virginia rose to six as residents tried to clean up with the threat of more rain on the way. At least two people remained missing in the state's northern panhandle after torrential downpours tore through the region Saturday night, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Monday. As much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain fell in parts of Wheeling and Ohio County within 40 minutes. Among the six dead was a 3-year-old child, the governor said. About an hour to the southeast, heavy rains battered the Marion County community of Fairmont on Sunday, ripping off the outer wall of an apartment building and damaging bridges and roads. No injuries were reported. Morrisey has declared a state of emergency in both counties. He said at least 60 homes, 25 businesses and an estimated 30 roads were impacted by the floods. "It's just Mother Nature at its worst," Morrisey said. In the northern panhandle, vehicles were swept into swollen creeks, some people sought safety in trees and a mobile home caught fire. Morrisey toured the small community of Triadelphia on Sunday. 'That was just pure devastation,' he said. 'That was brutal.' Rich Templin, his wife, Michelle, and a family friend, Chuck Ullom, were cleaning out two storage garages Monday across the street from their Triadelphia home. The garages on lower ground along Little Wheeling Creek were nearly destroyed by flash floods. Templin's home is on elevated ground and was not damaged. Templin was at work when his wife called him. When he did not answer, she texted him to say their street was flooded, a trailer they owned had washed away and that 'cars were floating by with people in them.' Templin said he received the text messages within 15 minutes after it started to rain. 'I've talked to numerous people, they said it was like a tsunami. They saw water coming down the road like two or three feet high,' he said. Templin used the garages to store tools used in a trucking service company formerly operated by his father. 'We're trying to see what's salvageable and what's not and just start the rebuilding process,' he said. Most of West Virginia was under a flood watch through Monday night. The region around Wheeling, about an hour southwest of Pittsburgh, has seen its share of flooding. Saturday's floods occurred 35 years to the day after more than 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain in less than three hours killed 26 people and destroyed 80 homes in nearby Shadyside, Ohio. Last year, severe storms washed out about 200 tombstones at a Wheeling cemetery. There were deadly floods in the region in 2017 and 2022. And in 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan sent floodwaters to the tops of lamp posts and trees in Wheeling's park and amphitheater along the Ohio River. ___ Associated Press writer John Raby in Charleston contributed.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Mother Nature at it's worst:' Death toll from flash floods climbs to 6 in West Virginia
WHEELING, (AP) — The death toll from weekend flooding in West Virginia rose to six as residents tried to clean up with the threat of more rain on the way. At least two people remained missing in the state's northern panhandle after torrential downpours tore through the region Saturday night, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Monday. As much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain fell in parts of Wheeling and Ohio County within 40 minutes. Among the six dead was a 3-year-old child, the governor said. About an hour to the southeast, heavy rains battered the Marion County community of Fairmont on Sunday, ripping off the outer wall of an apartment building and damaging bridges and roads. No injuries were reported. Morrisey has declared a state of emergency in both counties. He said at least 60 homes, 25 businesses and an estimated 30 roads were impacted by the floods. 'It's just Mother Nature at its worst,' Morrisey said. In the northern panhandle, vehicles were swept into swollen creeks, some people sought safety in trees and a mobile home caught fire. Morrisey toured the small community of Triadelphia on Sunday. 'That was just pure devastation,' he said. 'That was brutal.' Rich Templin, his wife, Michelle, and a family friend, Chuck Ullom, were cleaning out two storage garages Monday across the street from their Triadelphia home. The garages on lower ground along Little Wheeling Creek were nearly destroyed by flash floods. Templin's home is on elevated ground and was not damaged. Templin was at work when his wife called him. When he did not answer, she texted him to say their street was flooded, a trailer they owned had washed away and that 'cars were floating by with people in them.' Templin said he received the text messages within 15 minutes after it started to rain. 'I've talked to numerous people, they said it was like a tsunami. They saw water coming down the road like two or three feet high,' he said. Templin used the garages to store tools used in a trucking service company formerly operated by his father. 'We're trying to see what's salvageable and what's not and just start the rebuilding process,' he said. Most of West Virginia was under a flood watch through Monday night. The region around Wheeling, about an hour southwest of Pittsburgh, has seen its share of flooding. Saturday's floods occurred 35 years to the day after more than 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain in less than three hours killed 26 people and destroyed 80 homes in nearby Shadyside, Ohio. Last year, severe storms washed out about 200 tombstones at a Wheeling cemetery. There were deadly floods in the region in 2017 and 2022. And in 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan sent floodwaters to the tops of lamp posts and trees in Wheeling's park and amphitheater along the Ohio River. ___ Associated Press writer John Raby in Charleston contributed. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
