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| West Virginia death toll rises to 23 in state's worst floods in a century | West Virginia death toll rises to 23 in state's worst floods in a century |
| (2 months later) | |
| Surrounded by muddy devastation, Cathy Light and her husband Chris thought it was “heaven sent” they had free burgers to munch on in a parking lot on Saturday. | Surrounded by muddy devastation, Cathy Light and her husband Chris thought it was “heaven sent” they had free burgers to munch on in a parking lot on Saturday. |
| To their left, the roof of a Dairy Queen slumped to the ground. Behind it, a trailer home was ripped from its foundation, four concrete stairs all that remained in the ground. Occasional whiffs of rotten food wafted from a nearby grocery store. | To their left, the roof of a Dairy Queen slumped to the ground. Behind it, a trailer home was ripped from its foundation, four concrete stairs all that remained in the ground. Occasional whiffs of rotten food wafted from a nearby grocery store. |
| Before they jumped in a rescue boat, the Lights could only save their dog Odie and a TV that sat atop a bedroom dresser – the highest they stored anything in their house, really. | Before they jumped in a rescue boat, the Lights could only save their dog Odie and a TV that sat atop a bedroom dresser – the highest they stored anything in their house, really. |
| The heavy rains that pummeled West Virginia resulted in at least 23 deaths, leaving families homeless with the tearful realization that they will have to start from scratch. | The heavy rains that pummeled West Virginia resulted in at least 23 deaths, leaving families homeless with the tearful realization that they will have to start from scratch. |
| “I don’t have anything,” said Cathy Light, as she ate the free meal provided by Grace Community Church. “Where do we go now?” | “I don’t have anything,” said Cathy Light, as she ate the free meal provided by Grace Community Church. “Where do we go now?” |
| The scene in Clendenin, in Kanawha County, wasn’t as deadly as in Ranielle. Fifteen people died in the town in Greenbrier County, the only county where Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s administration believes people are still missing. | The scene in Clendenin, in Kanawha County, wasn’t as deadly as in Ranielle. Fifteen people died in the town in Greenbrier County, the only county where Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s administration believes people are still missing. |
| “It does not appear there are unaccounted for people in other counties, but it’s still a somewhat fluid situation,” said Chris Stadelman, Tomblin’s chief of staff. | “It does not appear there are unaccounted for people in other counties, but it’s still a somewhat fluid situation,” said Chris Stadelman, Tomblin’s chief of staff. |
| Ranielle Mayor Andy Pendleton wept as she surveyed her town. | Ranielle Mayor Andy Pendleton wept as she surveyed her town. |
| “I weep for my people, I weep for the businesses,” she said. | “I weep for my people, I weep for the businesses,” she said. |
| About six buses of people whose homes were either without power or too damaged to inhabit were evacuated. Some were taken initially to a fire department facility, but then it flooded so they were moved to an abandoned store. When that started to flood, buses took the evacuees to a church 40 miles away. | About six buses of people whose homes were either without power or too damaged to inhabit were evacuated. Some were taken initially to a fire department facility, but then it flooded so they were moved to an abandoned store. When that started to flood, buses took the evacuees to a church 40 miles away. |
| Search and rescue teams went house to house, marking those checked with a spray-painted X. Abandoned pets were taken to a shelter. A water department filtration system built with a $2.6m loan was damaged, Pendleton said. | Search and rescue teams went house to house, marking those checked with a spray-painted X. Abandoned pets were taken to a shelter. A water department filtration system built with a $2.6m loan was damaged, Pendleton said. |
| Help came from many sources, including two search and rescue teams from Virginia. The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security reported 15 people killed in Greenbrier County. Other deaths were reported in Kanawha, Jackson and Ohio counties. | Help came from many sources, including two search and rescue teams from Virginia. The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security reported 15 people killed in Greenbrier County. Other deaths were reported in Kanawha, Jackson and Ohio counties. |
| About 500 people were stranded overnight in a shopping center when a bridge washed out and dozens of others had to be plucked off rooftops or rescued from their cars. A gravel access road was built to let them out. | About 500 people were stranded overnight in a shopping center when a bridge washed out and dozens of others had to be plucked off rooftops or rescued from their cars. A gravel access road was built to let them out. |
| On Saturday, Tomblin asked federal authorities for a major disaster declaration to get help for Greenbrier and the two other counties hardest hit. Tomblin’s office said he made an expedited verbal request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) for individual assistance for Kanawha, Greenbrier and Nicholas counties. Such assistance includes housing and crisis counseling. | On Saturday, Tomblin asked federal authorities for a major disaster declaration to get help for Greenbrier and the two other counties hardest hit. Tomblin’s office said he made an expedited verbal request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) for individual assistance for Kanawha, Greenbrier and Nicholas counties. Such assistance includes housing and crisis counseling. |
| Some of the heaviest rainfall was in Greenbrier County, where the Greenbrier luxury resort and golf course is nestled in the mountains. The PGA Tour has canceled a tournament there from 4 to 10 July because the course is overrun by floodwaters. | Some of the heaviest rainfall was in Greenbrier County, where the Greenbrier luxury resort and golf course is nestled in the mountains. The PGA Tour has canceled a tournament there from 4 to 10 July because the course is overrun by floodwaters. |
| “Cancelling The Greenbrier Classic is certainly the most prudent course of action as our foremost concern is the well-being of those who are having to live through this tragic situation,” PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said in a news release. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them.” | “Cancelling The Greenbrier Classic is certainly the most prudent course of action as our foremost concern is the well-being of those who are having to live through this tragic situation,” PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said in a news release. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them.” |
| Resort owner Jim Justice said the needs of flood-ravaged West Virginians were of utmost concern. Two healthcare facilities at the resort will be open this weekend. | Resort owner Jim Justice said the needs of flood-ravaged West Virginians were of utmost concern. Two healthcare facilities at the resort will be open this weekend. |
| “All of our focus needs to be on helping all of the people of our great state,” Justice said. “So many have lost loved ones, their homes, and have no place to go.” | “All of our focus needs to be on helping all of the people of our great state,” Justice said. “So many have lost loved ones, their homes, and have no place to go.” |
| An area near the West Virginia-Virginia border received at least 9in of rain while other parts of the state had 3in to 5in, National Weather Service hydrologist John Sikora said. A flood warning remained in effect for Greenbrier County until 6.30pm on Saturday. | An area near the West Virginia-Virginia border received at least 9in of rain while other parts of the state had 3in to 5in, National Weather Service hydrologist John Sikora said. A flood warning remained in effect for Greenbrier County until 6.30pm on Saturday. |
| Others waited days to see their loved ones rescued. Kari Townsend of Clendenin sat at a shelter in Charleston for most of Friday before her niece, Britani Shafer, and her niece’s five-month-old baby, Shay, made it to safety. | Others waited days to see their loved ones rescued. Kari Townsend of Clendenin sat at a shelter in Charleston for most of Friday before her niece, Britani Shafer, and her niece’s five-month-old baby, Shay, made it to safety. |
| The mother and child had been holed up in a doctor’s office in flooded downtown Clendenin since Thursday afternoon, and started running out of baby formula. Shafer could only send a couple text messages to let her family know what was going on. | The mother and child had been holed up in a doctor’s office in flooded downtown Clendenin since Thursday afternoon, and started running out of baby formula. Shafer could only send a couple text messages to let her family know what was going on. |
| Shafer, whose neighbor was able to get her out in a truck, brought the pair back to meet up with their family. | Shafer, whose neighbor was able to get her out in a truck, brought the pair back to meet up with their family. |
| “There was not a dry eye, let me tell you,” Townsend said. “The baby is fine, [Britani] is good. It’s awesome.” | “There was not a dry eye, let me tell you,” Townsend said. “The baby is fine, [Britani] is good. It’s awesome.” |