© Wheeling West Virginia Fire DepartmentIn this image provided by the Wheeling West Virginia Fire Department, cars sit submerged in floodwaters, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Wheeling, West Virginia
At least six people have been killed, and two others remain unaccounted for after dangerous flash flooding impacted Wheeling and surrounding communities in West Virginia over the weekend, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey told FOX Weather on Monday morning.
The governor said during a news conference on Sunday that a 3-year-old child was among the deaths being attributed to flash flooding.
"There were roughly 3 to 4 inches of water that fell in the area in less than an hour. That's very, very difficult to deal with," Morrisey said as he commended the first responders attempting to reach people during the flooding.
Search and rescue efforts resumed Monday morning, and officials continue to urge people to stay off local roads.
Most of the impacts from the flash flooding were in the northern and central parts of the state.
Lou Vargo, the director of the Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency, told FOX Weather that as soon as the rain began on Saturday, 911 calls requesting help were received, and some people were forced to cling to trees to not be carried away by the fast-moving floodwaters.
"We're also working with family members to see if they just were displaced," Vargo said. "We also have a mass-care center set up for the people that we've evacuated from parts of the Valley Grove and Tridelphia area."
Numerous Flash Flood Warnings and a rare Flash Flood Emergency were issued by the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh late Saturday night and early Sunday morning as the rain was falling, overwhelming rivers and streams and sending water rushing into communities.
Wheeling Creek rose 7 feet in under two hours, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Because of the damage to infrastructure, like roads and bridges, emergency crews were unable to respond to some incidents.
"We were delayed in getting there because there was just so much damage," Vargo said at a news conference.
In addition, Vargo said drones and cadaver dogs are searching for those who are missing.
"We just plead for you to stay away from that area and let the first responders and the Department of Highways and all the services out there do our jobs so we can get citizens back into their homes as quickly as possible," Vargo said.
Thousands of power outages have also been reported, but work to restore service can not begin until natural gas leaks reported in the area have been resolved.
"Some of those houses could be in an explosive situation, so turning the power on could cause an explosion," Vargo continued. "So, the power company and the gas company are working very closely together to coordinate everything."
Partial apartment building collapses amid flooding
On Sunday afternoon, a Flash Flood Emergency was issued for the community of Fairmont, West Virginia, in Marion County, some 90 miles southeast of Wheeling, after the National Weather Service said between 1.5 and 3 inches of rain had fallen in a short time.
Multiple water rescues were reported by local law enforcement in Fairmont, and an apartment building partially collapsed. A witness impacted by the flooding said in a social media post that water began pouring through the windows and the building's first floor before it collapsed.
Gov. Morrisey announced an emergency declaration for Marion County on Sunday evening.
"Emergency officials are on the scene in Marion County at a partial apartment collapse," the governor said. "State resources are being dispatched to the region immediately. Please - stay off the roads. Do not underestimate the strength and speed of these floods."
The FOX Forecast Center said more rain will continue to fall across the flooded area through midweek.
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