Torrential rains caused flash flooding in northern West Virginia, killing five people, including a 3-year-old child, and rescue crews were searching for several missing people Sunday, while authorities assessed damage to roads, bridges, natural gas lines, and other infrastructure.
Officials said 2.5 to 4 inches of rain fell in parts of Wheeling and Ohio County in about 30 minutes on Saturday night. The unexpected deluge flooded local waterways and infrastructure, submerging vehicles in small towns east of the Ohio River such as Triadelphia and Valley Grove, according to CBS affiliate WTRF.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Sunday night that three people were also missing, and more rain and flooding were expected. During an earlier news conference, the governor stated that he is working closely with FEMA officials.
Authorities reported that vehicles were swept into swollen creeks, some people sought refuge in trees, and a mobile home caught fire. Morrisey reported that first responders successfully completed 19 swift water rescues.
Cars are submerged in floodwaters on Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Wheeling, West Virginia, as captured by the Wheeling West Virginia Fire Department. Wheeling West Virginia Fire Department (via AP)
“We almost immediately began receiving 911 calls for the rescue of people who were trapped,” Ohio County’s emergency management director, Lou Vargo, said at a news conference Sunday. “During this time, we had significant infrastructure damage to roads, bridges, and highways, which prevented us from responding to many incidents. So we were delayed getting there because there was so much damage.
Vargo stated, “It happened so quickly and so fast.” I have been doing this for 35 years. I’ve seen major floods in both the city and county. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
According to Jim Blazier, the fire chief in Wheeling, in the state’s northern panhandle, crews worked until early Sunday morning to perform rescue operations. He said first responders regrouped Sunday morning and were focusing on a region stretching from the Ohio state line across the Ohio River to Wheeling Creek.
“We’re searching the banks, we’re searching submerged vehicles, any debris we find along the trail and so forth,” Blazier told reporters. “We’re using drones, search dogs and swift water personnel, and we have teams organized that are searching sectors that we’re trying to recover anybody that’s missing.”
The governor reported that there were approximately 2,500 power outages in the county as of Sunday afternoon. Natural gas leaks, which must be repaired first, slowed restoration efforts, according to officials.
Severe flooding in Fairmont, a city nearly 100 miles from Wheeling, prompted multiple water rescues Sunday afternoon, according to CBS affiliate WDTV, including at an apartment building in Marion County.
A city spokesperson told CBS News that an apartment building had partially collapsed, but it was not immediately clear how many people were affected. Residents were evacuated to the Fairmont State University campus, according to the spokesperson.
“Please – stay off the roads,” Governor Morrisey warned residents. “Never underestimate the power and speed of these floods. Pray for our friends and neighbors during this difficult time in our state.”
Morrisey has declared a state of emergency for both Ohio and Marion County. He stated that state police and other state officials were responding, and he directed the National Guard to provide any necessary assistance.
“Please keep this community in your prayers,” Morrisey said in a statement released Sunday. “Additional storms are expected in the region today. Please follow all local and state emergency management officials’ instructions and do not attempt to drive through flooded roads.
The West Virginia rains followed heavy rains in San Antonio on Thursday, which killed 13 people. More than 7 inches of rain fell in the Texas city over several hours, causing fast-rising floodwaters to sweep more than a dozen cars into a creek.
