At least 6 dead in West Virginia flooding as search continues for 2 missing
By Michelle Watson, Amanda Musa, Mary Gilbert, CNN
(CNN) — Significant flooding in northern West Virginia claimed the lives of at least six people, including a 3-year-old and her mother, over the weekend and two others remain missing, officials say.
All six deaths occurred in Ohio County, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said at a Monday news conference, and the two missing people were also from the county.
“We’re still in the stage of doing everything possible to identify people,” Morrisey said. “If there’s any chance to save another life, we’re going to keep putting the time in.”
The Ohio County Sheriff’s Office identified the victims as: Mike Veronis, 74; Mike Bokanovich, 73; Lisa McMasters, 59; Kylie Minch Shutton, 26, and her daughter Parker, 3; and Travis Creighton, 19.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing as at least two people remain missing in the county, officials said.
At least 60 buildings, including homes and businesses, in the state were damaged by the weekend flooding, according to the governor.
Approximately 2.5 to 4 inches of rain fell within about a half hour Saturday night in Ohio County, in the state’s northern panhandle, between Ohio and Pennsylvania. The National Weather Service issued a rare flash flood emergency – the most severe form of flood warning – due to the area’s torrential rain.
Additional storms moved through northern West Virginia on Sunday, prompting another flash flood emergency, this time in part of Marion County in the afternoon.
A state of emergency was declared Sunday in Ohio and Marion Counties, according to updates from Morrisey’s office. The declarations allow for more state resources, such as the National Guard, to assist in the county’s rescue efforts.
Crews carried out evacuations and water rescues in Marion County on Sunday afternoon, including at an apartment building that partially collapsed after a river of floodwater roared through it. All residents have been accounted for in the wake of that catastrophic damage, Morrisey confirmed Monday.
About two hours north of Marion County, authorities in the city of Wheeling, in Ohio County, carried out extensive search and rescue efforts after flooding rain Saturday night, state and local officials said in a news conference Sunday.
Parts of Ohio County “have major infrastructure damage to roads, bridges and highways,” delaying search and rescue efforts, said Lou Vargo, Director Wheeling-Ohio County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
Displaced individuals and families can seek shelter at Elm Grove Elementary in Wheeling, Vargo said. At least 12 people showed up to the school Saturday night, he added.
Resources were “quickly overwhelmed” Saturday, according to Wheeling Fire Department Chief Jim Blazier. But “this morning, we regrouped,” Blazier said noting that conditions have improved.
“We’re searching the banks, submerged vehicles, any debris that we find along the trail and so forth,” he said.
The danger isn’t over yet: It’s going to be a wet week for these hard-hit areas with daily chances for rain and storms in West Virginia through at least Thursday. Any additional rain could worsen ongoing flooding issues or quickly cause new ones.
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CNN’s Diego Mendoza and Zenebou Sylla contributed to this report.
