MORGANTOWN – The first responders were helping the first responders Wednesday in the Mountain State.
That was a day after strong storms slammed central West Virginia, causing flooding that inundated homes, businesses and roadways.
Lewis and Upshur counties were particularly hard-hit, and with inclement weather overtaking the region, Gov. Patrick Morrisey that afternoon declared a state of emergency for all 55 counties.
While up to 7 inches of rainfall was charted in some places, there were no immediate reports of death or major injury, the Associated Press said Wednesday.
Near Buckhannon in Upshur, water levels Tuesday surpassed those of the November 1985 flood that claimed the lives of 47 West Virginians.
Jim Smith, who directs MECCA 911 in Monongalia County, made a call to dispatch the county’s mobile command unit to Lewis – and Mon’s drone team to Upshur, for critical views of the damage from above.
“These are the situations where the drones are priceless,” he said.
Chris McIntire, Smith’s counterpart in Marion County, also sent swift-water rescue units to both affected counties, along with additional drones, as well.
Three local volunteer fire companies from McIntire’s county were also driving south Wednesday to render aid, he said.
“If we can help, we’re going to help,” McIntyre said. “They’d do the same for us.”
Smith agreed.
“Of course, we’re going to lend a hand,” he said. “And we were pretty much spared up here.”
Even if it was dicey for a time.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Mon a little after 4 p.m., as heavy winds and rain tore through – but as of Wednesday, there were no confirmed sightings of funnel clouds touching down in the county.
Low-level flooding was reported in the Dellslow area along W.Va. 7, he said, and crews contended with two downed trees in outlying Mon.
“We dodged this one,” he said.
Same for Marion, McIntire said.
“We dealt with a couple of downed trees,” he said. “No flooded roadways or basements.”
In Preston, 911 director Justin Wolfe said his county was lucky during the meteorological onslaught, save for rushing water, which did make a portion of U.S. Route 50 near Cheat Mountain unpassable for a time.
“Thankfully, we have no major damage to report,” he said.
In north-central West Virginia, though, forecasters report that the precipitation may be persistent.
AccuWeather is calling for mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s through the weekend across Mon, Marion and Preston counties – but also with a renewed chance of showers and thunderstorms picking up Saturday and going into Monday.
