National Guard deployed as flash floods tear through West Virginia, state of emergency declared

CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia activated a large-scale National Guard response after days of intense rainfall triggered dangerous flash flooding across wide stretches of the state, leaving roads submerged, neighborhoods underwater, and emergency teams scrambling to carry out rescues.

As water levels surged across multiple counties, Governor Patrick Morrisey on Wednesday, July 22, issued a statewide emergency declaration and urged residents to stay off the roads, while crews worked overnight to manage the crisis and assist those impacted.

National Guard deployed in West Virginia

As flash flooding intensified across West Virginia, Governor Patrick Morrisey moved to deploy National Guard units to the most severely impacted areas, with additional forces brought in on Wednesday as conditions remained volatile and rescue needs grew.

The response was broadened with a statewide emergency declaration covering all counties, enabling a coordinated effort between agencies as floodwaters continued to disrupt communities.

Authorities said search and rescue missions would remain ongoing, with state and local teams working through dangerous conditions to reach residents cut off by rapidly rising water.

Prolonged downpours gave way to sudden, dangerous flash flooding after several areas were drenched with nearly seven inches of rain in a short span, overwhelming waterways and drainage systems and sending torrents of muddy water surging through streets and neighborhoods.

Clips shared widely online captured the scale of the destruction, with floodwaters swallowing vehicles, overtaking parking lots, and spilling into commercial spaces.

One viral video showed water gushing into a Walmart in Weston, while others depicted cars nearly disappearing beneath rapidly rising currents.

Flash floods wreak havoc

Officials carried out dozens of water rescues as rising floodwaters trapped motorists inside vehicles, with emergency teams deployed across multiple counties even as access to several areas was cut off by submerged roads and washed-out bridges.

The flooding forced closures along key routes, including parts of Interstate 79 and Route 48, along with numerous secondary roads, further complicating rescue and relief operations.

In another sign of the storm’s destructive reach, a vehicle was swallowed by a sinkhole outside a business in Fayetteville.

Emergency crews worked through the night in hard-hit counties such as Lewis and Upshur, where homes, businesses, and infrastructure sustained heavy damage, while communication lines remained active as responders continued to reach stranded residents.

Earlier, the National Weather Service had urged people in affected areas to move to higher ground immediately as life-threatening flooding unfolded.