Flash flooding from torrential rains has left five people dead and four others missing in West Virginia. The Wheeling and nearby Triadelphia and Valley Grove areas were hit hardest. Floodwaters came quickly June 14, stranding some cars and sending others careening down creeks, according to theWheeling News-Register. The waters "pulled homes from their foundations and destroyed them. Massive pieces of debris − cars, large metal storage containers, refrigerators and more – crashed into bridges, forcing their closure until their structural integrity can be assessed," the newspaper reported. Two to 4 inches of rain fell within a matter of hours late June 14, which overwhelmed and flooded the nearby Appalachian creeks and waterways,Weather.comreported. "Wheeling Creek rose from 3 feet at 8:45 p.m. to roughly 10 feet at 10:15," the website said. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency on June 15. The emergency declaration makes it possible for state resources, such as the West Virginia National Guard, to be used for flood-related assistance, the Wheeling News-Register said. "We almost immediately started getting 911 calls for rescue of people being trapped," Lou Vargo, Ohio County's emergency management director, said at a news conference June 15,The Associated Pressreported. "During this time, we had major infrastructure damage to roads, bridges and highways where we couldn't respond to a lot of incidents. So we were delayed in getting there because there was just so much damage. "It happened so quickly. … I've been doing this for 35 years. I've seen major floods here in the city and the county. I've never seen anything like this." Hard hit Texas city:Devastating flash floods leave more than a dozen dead in San Antonio In the town of Fairmont in Marion County, an apartment building partially collapsed June 15 after the heavy rainfall and flooding, Weather.com said. Water poured out of the building over a mountain of debris that shut down Locust Avenue. No injuries were immediately reported, and residents of the building were being provided emergency shelter, local reports said. "The storm was part of a stalled frontal system that has been bringing heavy rain to the region for several days," Weather.com digital meteorologist Sara Tonks said. View of significant flood damage on Locus Avenue in Fairmont, West Virginia from flash flooding.#wvwxLink to the video:https://t.co/fAkB6HDK94pic.twitter.com/Aol0khCXEw — Dillon Gaudet (@GaudetWeather)June 15, 2025 A flood watch is still in place for the area, and heavy rainfall was expected through June 17, the National Weather Service said. The highest flash flood risk was near Kentucky, the Central Appalachians, Virginia and North Carolina. On June 17, the flash flood threat will become more restricted in the Central Appalachians, the weather service said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:West Virginia flash floods leave 5 dead, 4 missing
