Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD — The long road to recovery is once again underway for flood-weary residents of southern West Virginia.
Mercer and Raleigh counties appeared to have sustained the bulk of the damage this past weekend with only minor problems being reported in neighboring Tazewell and McDowell counties. Damage assessments are continuing in Mercer County, but problems appear to be widespread with both residential and commercial damage being reported in Princeton, Kellysville, Oakvale, Green Valley, Montcalm, Lake Shawnee, Kellysville, Oakvale and other communities.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported in Mercer County. Raleigh County wasn’t as fortunate. A Bradley woman perished after being swept away in a flooded stream near her home, and emergency personnel in Raleigh County continued their search Monday for a missing Kanawha County firefighter whose boat flipped in a flooded creek near Beckley, the Associated Press reported.
For those who suffered damage to their homes, and businesses, the long road to recovery begins. The weekend storm wasn’t the first flood to hit our region, and it most likely won’t be the last. We survived the great floods of July 1, 2001, May 2, 2002 and Nov. 19, 2003. While the recovery will take time, we will once again overcome great adversity. We will rebuild our homes, businesses, roads and bridges. We will become a stronger community as a result of this disaster.
For now, it is important for all homeowners and business owners who sustained damage from the weekend storm to report that damage. It is critical for local officials to receive this information in order for Mercer County to qualify for a possible disaster declaration. Gov. Joe Manchin has already declared a state of emergency for the entire state. The next step for local officials is to determine if Mercer County can qualify for a possible federal disaster declaration.
Damage assessments will continue throughout the week. A hotline has been set up for citizens to report damage to residential and commercial structures. The number is (304) 487-8448, according to Tim Farley, director of Mercer County Emergency Services.
State Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Jimmy Joe Gianato said officials hope to present the damage assessments soon to Gov. Joe Manchin, who will then request a federal disaster declaration from President Barack Obama.
All property owners who sustained damage as a result of high water should call the number immediately. All towns and cities must also report their damages in a timely manner. The sooner we can get those damage assessments in the quicker we can get help from the state and federal government.
As was the case in 2001, 2002 and 2003 — as well as the great flood of 1977 — federal help will be needed to expedite the recovery process.
