West Virginia Flooding
Two Die in West Virginia Flash Floods After Heavy Rains Bring Extensive Devastation
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Two people are dead after catastrophic flash floods tore through north-central West Virginia on Tuesday, July 21, the governor's office confirmed WBTV. Their bodies were found near Stonecoal Road in Upshur County, according to azfamily.com. Identities have not yet been released.
The floods were driven by up to 7 inches of rain in a matter of hours. In the hardest-hit areas, 4.5 inches fell in just 37 minutes WVVA. Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a statewide State of Emergency and deployed 500 National Guard troops to the region.
Record-Breaking Floods Strike Upshur and Lewis Counties
Tuesday evening's storms were caused by "training thunderstorms" — when storm cells keep passing over the same spot, dumping rain faster than the ground can absorb it. The Sand Run stream near Buckhannon crested at a record 10.63 feet by 8:45 PM, smashing the previous record of 8.34 feet set in 1985 WIBW.
Buckhannon Mayor Robbie Skinner captured the scene plainly: "I've never seen anything like this, and I've lived here for 37 years." Lewis County Commissioner Agnes Quinn Queen added, "The devastation across our county is extensive. Businesses, homes, vehicles, and countless personal belongings have been damaged or destroyed."
Rescuers Pulled Over 85 People From Rising Waters
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources swiftwater teams completed 85 rescues. Commander Sgt. Dennis Feazell described the urgency: "Initially it was all swim and tethered rope rescues... some rescues varied from just getting people out of flooded houses to 'if this person isn't rescued right now, they are going to die.'" Nineteen helicopters were deployed or placed on standby WITN.
The City of Buckhannon issued a shelter-in-place order at 6:55 PM as main roads filled with water. The National Weather Service issued a rare Flash Flood Emergency with a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" rating. Over 100 residents were pulled from flooded homes and trapped vehicles by Wednesday morning fox8live.com.
Roads Closed, Power Out, and Commerce Disrupted Across the Region
The floods forced closures on Interstate 79, U.S. Route 48, and U.S. Route 33. A massive sinkhole swallowed an entire vehicle in Fayetteville. The Walmart in Weston was heavily flooded, and local hotels saw their ground floors submerged in mud WAFB.
At peak, 110,000 customers across the storm region lost power. By Thursday, July 23, roughly 6,100 West Virginia customers were still without electricity fox10tv.com. Governor Morrisey urged residents to document all property damage online to help build a case for a federal Major Disaster Declaration.
West Virginia's Long History With Deadly Summer Flooding
West Virginia has faced repeated flooding disasters. The June 2016 floods killed 23 people and caused over $1 billion in damage. The 1985 flood that set the previous Sand Run record killed 47 people in Upshur County alone WECT. The 2026 crest topped that old record by more than two feet.
Meteorologists note that warming temperatures allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture, turning short, intense downpours into a recurring summer threat. Governor Morrisey said: "This is a time for West Virginians to come together... we're going to need a lot of help in the days and weeks ahead" WMBF News.
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