Overnight storms caused widespread power outages and infrastructure damage, with some homes blown off their foundations in the Valley community of Pilgrim’s Knob. Responding to the situation, Buchanan County officials received assistance from neighboring fire departments to aid in search and rescue efforts. The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that 44 people are “missing,” but noted that does not mean they are missing. “This number reflects the number of people who have been reported to law enforcement by loved ones and family members that they cannot be reached,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. Some of the worst flooding I have seen occurred overnight in the community of Pilgrims Knob. Whitewood is still impassable. Houses were washed hundreds of meters from their foundations into the street. 11’6 FEET signs on houses. @NWSCharlestonWV @spann @ReedTimmerAccu @WCYB_DavidBoyd pic.twitter.com/XEyy2EhEx4 — Billy Bowling (@babowling12) July 13, 2022 Officials from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) confirmed that search efforts are continuing and that the affected area is without power, landline or cell phone service. The American Red Cross is opening a shelter to support local residents.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Wednesday afternoon in response to the flooding, mobilizing Commonwealth resources and personnel to aid recovery efforts.
“We are deeply saddened to learn that another flood has affected a community still recovering from last year’s flood,” Youngkin said in a statement. “In the wake of the disaster, I want Virginians in Buchanan County to know that we have every resource available to help those affected by this storm.” Appalachian Power confirmed about 3,700 outages in the Grundy area of ​​Buchanan County at the height of flooding Tuesday night. About 1,000 customers remain without power, and the company could not provide an estimated restoration time, citing damage. An Appalachian Power facility was partially submerged in a photo posted on the company’s Twitter account. Last night’s storms caused flooding within APCo’s Dismal River substation. Approximately 3,700 customers in the Grundy area remain without power this morning as our crews work to restore service as safely and quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience. pic.twitter.com/kvawxM5t1g — Appalachian Power (@AppalachianPowe) July 13, 2022 The sheriff’s office has set up a hotline for residents to add names to the search list. That number is 1-833-748-1424. In a statement, a VDEM official said staff began monitoring the situation Tuesday night and that emergency responders worked through the night conducting investigations.