President Obama has declared a major disaster in West Virginia.
Advertisement
West Virginia’s death toll from flooding is the highest for any US state this year, with 16 deaths reported in Greenbrier County in southeast West Virginia, where the heaviest rain fell, and six in Kanahwa County, officials said.
This week officially marks the first day that citizens can formally apply for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties.
Cash or check donations will be used to purchase supplies in Richmond County – so as not deplete the resources in the flood-ravaged area – and will be delivered to West Virginia, Peacock said. The Associated Press reported that more heavy rains are expected, as more than 20 counties are under a flash flood watch. “I’ve never seen anything like that”.
With more than 400 people in shelters and thousands without power, a house to house search is now underway for potentially more victims.
Jaclyn Whittal looks at the weather causes behind the once-in-1000-year flooding event.
The statement says that help and assistance are greatly needed across West Virginia. In Greenbrier, at least 17 people have died, and floodwaters have not receded.
Preliminary ag damage estimates are in the “tens and tens of millions (of dollars)”, said Davidson.
When high waters rushed through Michael Mitchem’s West Virginia home, destroying his belongings, he immediately went to save his neighbors. That allows residents to apply for individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
At least 25 people have died in the last week.
A local Red Cross volunteer is heading to West Virginia to help respond to flood damage. She’s also preparing to help bury the dead. “I don’t even know that I’d call it volunteering”.
She runs Wallace and Wallace, one of two funeral chapels in this rain-soaked West Virginia town of 1,500 residents. Over the past year, those volunteers did things such as respond to tornadoes, help fire victims, install free smoke detectors and work on the pillowcase project to teach kids about emergency preparedness.
People living in the flooded counties are dealing with lost electricity, lost water service, damaged roads as well as missing loved ones or loved ones who are now lost to them. She’s also not sure whether she can ever reopen at the same location.
Advertisement
She just understands the community needs her.
