Overview
- Severe thunderstorms dropped several inches of rain on Tuesday and produced life‑threatening flash flooding across Upshur, Lewis and Pleasants counties that swamped streets and homes.
- A U.S. Geological Survey gauge showed Sand Run near Buckhannon crested above the 1985 benchmark, marking a record high and signaling rapid, extreme stream rise in just hours.
- State and local responders carried out dozens of water rescues and evacuations while the governor ordered 100 National Guard troops to the hardest hit areas with roughly 200 more expected.
- Floodwaters forced closures and damage to major routes including Interstate 79 and U.S. 48 and left bridges, culverts and utilities compromised in multiple communities.
- No deaths had been confirmed early Wednesday as officials continued search, shelter and damage assessment operations and warned rivers may keep rising as watershed runoff moves downstream.