After significant flooding hit Buchanan County, Virginia, early on Wednesday morning, police stated at least 44 individuals were still missing. As of now, there have been no deaths attributed to the flooding.
In the valley village of Pilgrim’s Knob, storms that occurred overnight damaged infrastructure and knocked off electricity to a large number of people. Some homes were even carried off their foundations. Officials from Buchanan County responded to the emergency and were helped in their search and rescue operations by nearby fire departments.
44 persons were listed as “unaccounted for” by the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, although the office clarified that this does not imply that they are missing.
According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, “this number represents the number of persons that have been reported to law enforcement by loved ones and family members as being unable to make contact with them.”
Some of the worst flash flooding I’ve seen occurred overnight in the community of Pilgrims Knob. Whitewood is still impassable. Homes washed hundreds of yards off foundations into the road. 11’6 FOOT marks on homes. @NWSCharlestonWV @spann @ReedTimmerAccu @WCYB_DavidBoyd pic.twitter.com/XEyy2EhEx4
— Billy Bowling (@babowling12) July 13, 2022
Search operations are still going on, according to representatives of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), and there is no electricity, landline connection, or mobile coverage in the impacted region. To assist the locals, the American Red Cross is opening a shelter.
In reaction to the floods, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a state of emergency on Wednesday afternoon, deploying Commonwealth resources and troops to support recovery operations.
Youngkin expressed his sadness in a statement, saying “We are profoundly disappointed to discover that another flood has affected a town still recovering from the storm of last year.” “In light of the destruction, I want Buchanan County Virginians to know that we are providing every resource at our disposal to assist anyone affected by this disaster.”
Last night’s storms resulted in flooding inside 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
At the height of the floods on Tuesday night, Appalachian Power reported nearly 3,700 outages in the Grundy region of Buchanan County. Due to damages, the firm was unable to offer an expected restoration time, and over 1,000 clients are still without power. In an image shared on the company’s Twitter, one Appalachian Power plant was half flooded.
Residents can contribute names to the search list by calling a hotline that has been set up by the sheriff’s office. You may reach them at 1-833-748-1424.
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