More than 100 homes are damaged and dozens are reported missing after flooding in Virginia
Virginia has declared a state of emergency after more than 100 homes were damaged and dozens are unaccounted for after severe flash flooding ravaged several parts of the state overnight.
The flooding, which transpired late Tuesday, has left several families without a home and many without power – on a day where temperatures reached 93 degrees.
The Dismal River area, set in the western part of the state, was particularly devastated by the sudden storms, with homes now washed hundreds of yards off their foundations into stretches of road.
Water levels reportedly reached 11-and-a-half feet during the catastrophic event, spurring Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to declare a state of emergency Wednesday.
The floods serve as some of the worst seen in the area in decades, and rescue officials are still struggling to assess the full extent of the damages.
More than 40 people have been declared missing as of Wednesday afternoon. Officials have yet to report any casualties.
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Virginia has declared a state of emergency after more than 100 homes were damaged and dozens are unaccounted for after severe flash flooding ravaged several parts of the state overnight. Pictured is an aerial view of the flooding in the town of Pilgrim’s Knob
The flooding, which transpired late Tuesday, has left several families without a home and many without power – on a day where temperatures hit 93 degrees
The Dismal River area, set in the western part of the state, was particularly devastated by the storms, with homes washed hundreds of yards off their foundations into stretches of road
Gov. Youngkin declared a state of emergency Wednesday to assist with response and recovery efforts following the abnormal amounts of rainfall.
“I want Virginians in Buchanan County to know that we are making every resource available to help those impacted by this storm,’ he said in a statement.
‘As we continue to assess the situation, I want to thank our first responders and the personnel on the ground for providing assistance with our ongoing operations.’
The governor – who assumed office in January – took to Twitter to urge citizens that the state was doing all it could to help residents in hard-hit areas, particularly in Buchanan County, which borders West Virginia and Kentucky.
‘I am deeply saddened at the devastating news of flooding in Buchanan County. We are making every resource available to help those impacted,’ Youngkin, 55, wrote.
‘While rescue and recovery operations continue, please join me in prayer as we lift up our fellow Virginians impacted by this tragedy.’
The floods serve as some of the worst seen in the area in decades, and rescue officials are still struggling to assess the full extent of the damages
The foundation of a home in Buchanan County is pictured after the house was pulled from the substructure by the raging floods
More than 40 people have been declared missing as of Wednesday afternoon. Officials have yet to report any casualties
State officials from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) have since been deployed to assist local crews in clean-up and rescue operations.
Officials from the agency said Wednesday that they do not know the specific number of homes damaged at the time but that a ‘significant’ number of homes area damaged, likely more than 100 homes.