Kentucky, West Virginia Declare Emergencies After 10.63-Foot Flood Crest and Tornadoes Batter East
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 22
Kentucky, West Virginia Declare Emergencies After 10.63-Foot Flood Crest and Tornadoes Batter East
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 22
Summary
West Virginia and Kentucky declared states of emergency after overnight storms unleashed tornadoes and record flash flooding, trapping dozens in homes, vehicles and a flooded hotel while injuring several people.
In Buckhannon, West Virginia, Sand Run crested at 10.63 feet Tuesday night, topping the 1985 record of 8.3 feet as rescuers used swift boats and cut through attic roofs to reach stranded residents.
Kentucky reported some of the worst tornado damage, with multiple injuries in Grayson County and up to 25 buildings severely damaged or destroyed; the National Weather Service planned surveys across seven counties.
Tens of thousands of customers remained without power Wednesday morning in Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia, while the severe-weather threat shifted south toward parts of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
Separately, Tropical Storm Bertha approached Louisiana and Mississippi with winds up to 50 mph, though forecasters said the system was weakening ahead of expected landfall later Wednesday.