R
ain fell throughout the region this weekend, causing widespread flooding in southern West Virginia. Most of the Kanawha Valley was spared the worst.
Before the rain began, local officials warned residents to be vigilant of conditions.
"If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, it is crucial to monitor weather updates and be prepared to leave your home promptly," Sissonville Volunteer Fire Department spokesperson Zach Bess urged the public in a statement. "Delaying evacuation can put you and your family at serious risk, especially if first responders are unable to reach you due to rising water levels."
Some local businesses, including the South Charleston Community Center, decided to close as a preventative measure.
Once the rain started, Metro 911 began receiving reports of high water in areas of Belle, Elkview, Jefferson, Sissonville, St. Albans and other local communities. Locations near the Coal River saw the most impact from high water locally.
On Saturday, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency in Kanawha and nine other counties. He later added three additional counties — Boone, Lincoln and Wayne counties, all within the southern portion of the state — to the list.
High water proved to be mostly a nuisance in the Kanawha Valley.
In Charleston, the intersection of Oregon Street and Sixth Avenue was impassable due to high water on Sunday afternoon, impacting access to through traffic on Sixth Avenue. Downtown, a water main break flooded Capitol Street and Lee Street and resulted in damage to a portion of the road. The incident caused traffic to be diverted in the area while crews worked to fix the issue. It was unclear if the break was due to the weather.
Most damage reported locally came from high winds. On Sunday, the West Side Volunteer Fire Department in St. Albans responded to a downed tree along West Main Street at Martin Street. The roadway was shut down while debris was being cleared.
Power outages were also a problem over the weekend. At noon on Sunday, more than 5,000 Appalachian Power customers were without service in Kanawha County alone. That number had reduced to about 2,000 customers by 6 a.m. on Monday.
This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information is provided.
