In Wheeling Creek near the Junior Avenue in Wheeling, W.VA., several badly damaged vehicles are shown after flooding on June 14, 2025 (Amy Essington | Essington Creative)
Six people were killed, including a toddler and a teenager, and dozens of more displaced people after up to 5 inch rain in parts of the counties Ohio and Marion in West Virginia caused falls at the weekend.
On Monday afternoon, three people were not taken into account in Wheeling.
“This is a very difficult time for West Virginia,” said Governor Patrick Morrisey on Monday at a press conference in Fairmont. “My heart continues to the families that relatives have lost.”
Since Saturday, more than 40 people have been saved out of the water in the districts of Marion and Ohio.
According to Morrisey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on site. West Virginia makes a lack of financing of the state flood aid money Particularly dependent About the federal government when it comes to flooding.
“We want to receive any support that our citizens earn … I will not predict what will happen,” said the governor.
Water tore through the Wheeling region and Fairmont on Saturday and Sunday.
Rushing Water broken The Fairmont Village Apartment building that is exposed to the beds, bathrooms of the people and more outside. The 29 inhabitants of the building are taken into account, said officials and Fairmont State University Is living space These displaced individuals.
More rain is forecast this week because the restoration efforts are underway. When asked what the state could do to prevent another round of devastating floods, Morrisey said in some situations that the state was only to do with mother nature.
Wheeling was hit by floods last year, and Around 200 tombstones Were washed out after mighty storms. The floods in North -West Virginia are the second severe weather event that has reached the state this year. In FebruaryFatal floods that were torn through the state’s southern Coalfields, where three people died afterwards.
While deadly flood events in the state are becoming increasingly common – and growing as perilous flood zones due to climate change and continuous floods – the leaders have not financed any efforts that could support prevent the most sedate consequences of these events and to support the communities in recreation from them.
In the regular legislative session 2025, Morriseys proposed budget Do not contain any money For the Fund of the Flood Resilience Trust of the state. The legislator has not proposed the financing either.
“There will be additional discussions with the legislator and others about the importance of flood prevention. I would like to make sure that we learn from the past,” said Morrisey.
The search efforts are continued in Wheeling
The search efforts are continued for at least three missing people in Ohio County, and The department for natural resources is currently using drones, 4 × 4 vehicles, diving teams and more.
Three Four inch rain fell over a period of 72 hours on Saturday and sweat the areas of Wheeling, Valley Grove and Triadelphia.
“… because we saw so much rain in so little time that led to considerable floods,” said Jason Frazier, a meteorologist of the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. “We saw near Wheeling Creek within an hour, rose about seven feet and that led to the unfortunate results and damage in this region.”
Del. Bill Flanigan, R-Ohio, said: “The entire lower valley has completely disappeared or changed. I am not sure whether we will ever see it again.”
Flanigan noticed debris in streams before the rain has contributed to the floods. He spent time with the first aiders of the region over the weekend when he searched for human vehicles along the water banks that were washed away.
“The crew with which I was with we found 14 cars,” he said, adding that the region’s first aiders had worked around the clock in the past few days.
The childcare of the Holy Family in Wheeling offers family care for families who have to immaculate their houses.
“The tragedy met our community and suffered families,” said Terra Crews, Executive Director for the childcare of Holy Family. “We want to extend our support to those who serve those in need or suffering during this time.
The State Department of Highways has brought 29 pieces of massive devices to the area to work on damaged streets and bridges and to remove massive debris, metronews reported. A press release from the city of Wheeling said on Monday Appalachian Power is working on restoring the power supply to around 1,700 houses after several supply rods have been damaged.
Flood prevention fund is still empty
In April, weeks after the flood Three people killed In McDowell County, Flanigan was one of 10 Republicans in the house who voted for a fund for flood prevention of $ 50 million.
This measure, sponsored by the house minor manager Sean Hornbuckle, failed. The The fund was set up in 2023 as part of the state resilience office in order to implement the protection of the communities affected by floods to protect the floods and the implementation of recommendations included in the state’s flood plan. Since its foundation, the fund has never been assigned money.
“We saw an increased flood in West Virginia when I noticed as a child. It wasn’t as fast and wide as what happens,” said Flanigan. “It makes sense that we have a flood fund. Let us put it into operation.”
In a statement on Monday, the West Virginia Democratic Party asked the state to put the financing in the state funds of flood resilience.
“In West Virginia it is not about seeing floods-when and where is when and where,” said Hornbuckle, D-Cabell. “We have the data, we have the plans and we already have a fund in the books. What we don’t have is the political will of the Republican leadership to invest in the safety of our people.”
In 2024, the former governor Jim Justice asked the state legislature to approve $ 50 million for the emergency flood fund. On the last day of the session, however, legislators complied with this advertising booking from the final version of the budget bill. In April in the run -up to a special meeting, justice, said he planned to record the appropriation of 50 million US dollars in its call. But When the call came outThe financing of flood emergency Was not included.
In nationwide, only 1.2% of the residential structures in West Virginia were insured in 2024 due to flood damage by Fema’s national flood insurance program. According to the federal authority. These data do not contain residential structures that are treated via private individuals Insurance.
A report by West Virginia University in 2023 showed that 94% of the municipalities in West Virginia are considered “special flood risk areas”, which means that they have a high risk of flooding.
Senator Joey Garcia, D-Marion, said that the recent floods in the whole state show a need for the resilience fund. It would make sense to put time and resources in cooperation with local governments on preventive measures, he said.
“If there are things that can be done with rainwater infrastructure if there are areas in which we have to make sure that debris is removed from certain locations, all of these things should be options,” he said.
