NewsFinale
  • Home
  • News
  • Local News
  • Business
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Celeb Lifestyle
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Advertise Here
Gleammour AquaFresh
NewsFinale
  • Home
  • News
  • Local News
  • Business
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Celeb Lifestyle
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Advertise Here
Home Local News “Devastating Flash Flooding Claims 5 Lives in West Virginia, Search Teams Scour for Missing Individuals”

“Devastating Flash Flooding Claims 5 Lives in West Virginia, Search Teams Scour for Missing Individuals”

Flash flooding kills 5 in West Virginia, rescue teams searching for missing people
Up next
Karen Bass Blames Riots, Trump's 'Escalation' for Pulling Police from Palisades
Karen Bass Holds Riots and Trump Responsible for Removing Police from Palisades
Published on 16 June 2025
Author
NewsFinale Journal
Share and Follow
FacebookXRedditPinterestWhatsApp


Flash flooding caused by torrential rains killed five people in northern West Virginia and rescue crews were searching for three other people who were missing Sunday as authorities assessed damage to roads, bridges, natural gas lines and other infrastructure.

Officials said 2.5 to 4 inches (6 to 10 centimeters) of rain fell in parts of Wheeling and Ohio County within about a half hour on Saturday night.

“We almost immediately started getting 911 calls for rescue of people being trapped,” Lou Vargo, Ohio County’s emergency management director, said at a news conference Sunday. “During this time, we had major infrastructure damage to roads, bridges, and highways where we couldn’t respond to a lot of incidents. So we were delayed in getting there because there was just so much damage.”

Vargo added: “It happened so quickly and so fast. … I’ve been doing this for 35 years. I’ve seen major floods here in the city and the county. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Authorities said vehicles were swept into swollen creeks, some people sought safety in trees and a mobile home caught fire.

Similarly, swift flash flooding arrived in Marion County, south of Wheeling and Ohio County, early Sunday afternoon, causing extensive damage to bridges, roads and some homes, the county’s Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management said in a Facebook post. The county’s 911 line has already processed at least 165 calls for service since the storms began.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency in Marion County Sunday evening.

Jim Blazier, the fire chief in Wheeling in the state’s northern panhandle, said crews performed rescue operations into Sunday’s early morning hours. He said first responders regrouped Sunday morning and were focused on an area from the Ohio state line across the Ohio River to Wheeling Creek.

“We’re searching the banks, we’re searching submerged vehicles, any debris we find along the trail and so forth,” Blazier said. “We’re using drones, search dogs and swift water personnel, and we have teams organized that are searching sectors that we’re trying to recover anybody that’s missing.”

There were about 2,500 reported power outages in the county Sunday, Morrisey confirmed in a news release Sunday evening, which updated the number of people confirmed dead to five, with three more missing. He has declared a state of emergency in Ohio County and mobilized the National Guard to support emergency operations.

“In many respects, this is kind of a unicorn event, because a lot of the rain had very narrow areas and there were roughly 3 to 4 inches of water that fell in the area in less than an hour,” Morrisey said at a press conference earlier Sunday. “That’s very, very difficult to deal with.”

He added, “Your friends, your neighbors, your first responders and people in the community, they’re out working very hard to find people. That’s our No. 1 task right now, trying to identify anyone who may still be out there.”

The West Virginia rains followed heavy downpours in San Antonio on Thursday that killed 13 people. More than 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain fell over a span of hours in the Texas city, causing fast-rising floodwaters to carry more than a dozen cars into a creek.

___

Associated Press writer Jesse Bedayn in Denver contributed.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Share and Follow
FacebookXRedditPinterestWhatsApp
You May Also Like
NFL player from Danville hosts girls football camp
  • Local News

Danville’s NFL player organizes camp for girls interested in football

Danville, Ill. (WCIA) — Denver Broncos wide receiver Trent Sherfield held his…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
A Vermont dairy farm was raided. The mixed messages from Washington since then have increased fears
  • Local News

“Confusion over Washington’s response to a Vermont dairy farm raid fuels anxiety”

MONTPELIER, Vt. – After six 12-hour shifts milking cows, José Molina-Aguilar’s lone…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
What to know: beach safety after third Lowcountry drowning this week
  • Local News

Important Beach Safety Tips following Third Drowning in Lowcountry This Week

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. () — It is the prime season for people…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 6, 2025
Storm Team 3: Above average heat returns
  • Local News

Team 3 Weather Alert: Heat above normal levels coming back

We’re back to our typical summer weather pattern today. High pressure is…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
Only on 3: New video from Oglethorpe Mall's shooting.
  • Local News

Exclusive: Fresh footage of the shooting incident at Oglethorpe Mall.

SAVANNAH, Ga. () — A new video from the July 2 shooting…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
Sun, sweat and storm clouds on the horizon for Central Florida this week
  • Local News

Chances of Storms Looming Over Central Florida Amid Sunny and Sweaty Conditions

ORLANDO, Fla. – Get ready for a hot and humid start to…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
Random bullet hits Orange County man’s truck while driving along Colonial Drive
  • Local News

Orange County Man’s Truck Hit by Random Bullet on Colonial Drive

ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orange County man reached out to News 6…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
Bluffton resident earns second PGA Tour win
  • Local News

Bluffton Resident Secures Second Victory on PGA Tour

SILVIS, Ill. () — A Bluffton resident picked up his second PGA…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
Texas flooding victims include Dallas Catholic school sisters, camp counselor, Walmart employee
  • US

Texas flooding victims include Dallas Catholic school sisters, camp counselor, Walmart employee

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A beloved teacher and…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
Texas flooding: Around 70 wildlife critters rescued after storms
  • US

Rescue of Approximately 70 Wildlife Animals After Texas Flooding

AUSTIN (KXAN)– Austin Wildlife Rescue said it has rescued around 70 animals…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
Netanyahu and Trump discuss new ceasefire proposal for Gaza
  • US

Netanyahu and Trump talk about a new plan to stop fighting in Gaza

Negotiations have repeatedly stalled over how the war should end and when…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
New South Wales was battered last night by an unseasonal storm that unleashed 100,000 lightning strikes across the state.
  • AU

New South Wales hit by lightning strikes and large hailstones during unusual and intense storm.

New South Wales was battered last night by an unseasonal storm that…
  • NewsFinale Journal
  • July 7, 2025
NewsFinale Journal
  • Home
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Advertise Here
  • Donate