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National Guard deployed as flash floods wreak havoc in West Virginia
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Torrential rains in West Virginia caused severe flash flooding, inundating homes and businesses, washing out bridges, and prompting numerous water rescues, though no deaths or missing persons have been reported.
- Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency for all 55 counties and deployed 300 National Guard members to assist in the northern hardest-hit areas.
- Emergency responders, including the state Division of Natural Resources and National Guard helicopters, conducted dozens of rescues, with some areas still inaccessible due to floodwaters.
- Floodwaters forced road closures, including parts of Interstate 79 and U.S. Route 48, and caused infrastructure damage such as a sinkhole swallowing a vehicle in Fayetteville.
- The flooding follows saturated ground from previous storms and is part of a larger weather system causing tornado reports and flooding warnings across multiple states.
