A region in northern West Virginia is facing more flooding troubles just days after heavy rains caused flash floods. On Thursday night, downpours caused creeks to overflow again around Wheeling, an hour southwest of Pittsburgh. The National Weather Service warned that up to two inches of rain fell and more was still possible later that evening.
Videos shared on social media showed streets submerged as water rushed through neighborhoods. Many people said the storms came on fast, sending water into homes that were already damaged by the floods less than two weeks ago.
Before the recent storms, much of the Eastern U.S. had been dealing with several days of extreme heat. In West Virginia’s Elm Grove area, floodwaters rose quickly — a photo posted by the state’s Emergency Management Division showed a measuring tape marking five inches of water in under an hour.
The agency urged residents living in low-lying or flood-prone spots to be ready to move to higher ground if needed.
This is not the first time the area has been hit hard by flooding recently. On June 14, intense rain dumped as much as four inches in just 40 minutes in parts of Wheeling and Ohio County. That event caused nine deaths, forced many homes and businesses to close, and submerged roads. More than 75 vehicles had to be pulled from local creeks. Following that disaster, Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency for the region.
Tragically, the body of one victim, 83-year-old Sandra Kay Parsons from Triadelphia, was found in the Ohio River on Tuesday. Officials confirmed her identity after a medical examiner’s report. Two other victims have also been identified: Jesse Pearson, 43, also from Triadelphia, and Connie Veronis, 71, from Moundsville. Most of those who lost their lives, seven out of nine, were from the small town of Triadelphia, which has just 660 residents.
The community is still recovering and bracing for more rain as the weather remains unsettled. Officials remind people to stay alert and prepared, especially those in vulnerable areas.