West Virginia mobilized about 500 National Guard troops in response to severe flash flooding caused by torrential rain across the state last month [1, 2, 3]. Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a statewide emergency covering all 55 counties on July 21 as flooding overwhelmed drainage systems and caused widespread destruction [1, 2, 3]. "When things like that happen, there’s no place for the water to go," Morrisey said, describing the intense rainfall [1].
The hardest hit areas included Lewis, Pleasants, and Upshur counties. In Upshur County alone, about 4.5 inches of rain fell in just 37 minutes, triggering rapid and severe flooding [1, 2, 3]. Some locations received up to 7 inches of rain, according to forecasters [2, 3]. Floodwaters submerged homes and businesses, destroyed bridges, flooded roads, and caused mudslides across the region [1, 2, 3]. Sections of Interstate 79, U.S. Route 48, and numerous local roads remained closed due to flood damage [3].
Emergency response included dozens of water rescues by the Division of Natural Resources and helicopter missions conducted or coordinated by the National Guard and state police. Authorities deployed an initial 100 troops to the hardest-hit areas on July 21, followed by an additional 400 to support ongoing rescue and relief operations [1, 2, 3]. In total, 19 helicopters were involved in these efforts [3].
Governor Morrisey expressed concern about potential fatalities and missing persons after severe flooding left at least two people unaccounted for in Upshur County. These cases are linked to an overturned vehicle trapped in fast-moving waters and debris, inaccessible to rescue teams [2]. "We are concerned about loss of life," Morrisey said. "We don’t have an exact number but we are concerned about fatalities. We are not here to make any specific announcements pertaining to that, but we are focused on examining different streets and areas so we can report things to the public," he added [1, 2, 3].
Flooding also caused unusual incidents such as a sinkhole in Fayetteville swallowing a vehicle parked outside a bar [3]. Power outages affected more than 6,000 customers on Thursday morning as crews worked to restore electricity to impacted communities [2]. Emergency shelters were opened statewide to provide refuge for displaced residents [2, 3].
The state continues search-and-rescue and recovery operations as officials monitor weather conditions and infrastructure damage. State agencies remain on high alert while restoration efforts progress across the flood-ravaged counties [3].
