At least 44 people are still unaccounted for after severe flooding in Buchanan County, Virginia, early Wednesday morning, authorities said. So far, there are no reports of deaths as a result of the flood.
Overnight storms caused widespread power outages and infrastructure damage, with some homes swept off their foundations in the Valley community of Pilgrims Knob. Responding to the situation, Buchanan County officials received assistance from neighboring fire departments to assist in search and rescue efforts.
The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that 44 people were “unaccounted for,” but noted that did not mean they were unaccounted for.
“This number reflects the number of people who were told by loved ones and family members that they were unable to contact law enforcement,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Some of the worst flash flooding I’ve seen happened overnight in the community of Pilgrims Knob. Whitewood is still impassable. Houses were blown off their road foundations hundreds of yards. 11’6 FOOT marks on homes. @NWSCharlestonWV @spann @ReedTimmerAccu @WCYB_DavidBoyd pic.twitter.com/XEyy2EhEx4
— Billy Bowling (@babowling12) July 13, 2022
Officials with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) confirmed that search efforts are ongoing and that there is no power, landline or cell service in the affected area. The American Red Cross opens a shelter to help local residents.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Wednesday afternoon in response to the flooding, mobilizing Commonwealth resources and personnel to aid recovery efforts.
“We are deeply saddened to learn that another flood has affected a community that is still recovering from last year’s flood,” Youngkin said in a statement. “In the wake of the devastation, I want Virginians in Buchanan County to know that we are making every resource available to help those affected by this storm.”
Appalachian Power confirmed approximately 3,700 outages in the Grundy area of Buchanan County at the peak of flooding Tuesday evening. About 1,000 customers remain without power, and the company was unable to provide an estimated time for restoration, citing damage. An Appalachian Power facility was partially submerged in a photo posted to the company’s Twitter account.
Last night’s storms caused flooding at APCo’s Dismal River substation. Approximately 3,700 customers in the Grundy area remain without power this morning as our crews work to restore service as safely and quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience. pic.twitter.com/kvawxM5t1g
— Appalachian Power (@AppalachianPowe) July 13, 2022
The sheriff’s office has set up a hotline for residents to add names to the wanted list. That number is 1-833-748-1424.
In a statement, a VDEM official said staff began monitoring the situation Tuesday evening and that emergency response teams worked through the night conducting searches.
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