UPDATE: Five confirmed dead in Ohio County flooding

OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. — Officials have confirmed five people are dead, including a 3-year-old child, following Saturday evening’s flooding in Ohio County.

In addition, Ohio County EMA Director Lou Vargo said others are missing, though two of them have been located.

“According to the National Weather Service, we received between 2-and-a-half and 4 inches of rain within about a 30-minute period,” Vargo said.

“We almost immediately started getting 911 calls for rescue of people being trapped. All volunteer fire departments were alerted. The Wheeling Fire Department was alerted. I asked (Fire Chief Jim Blazier) for the swift water team because we had vehicles in the creeks and people who were stranded."

This led to a second alarm because the magnitude had grown so swiftly.

“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,” Vargo said.

Officials are urging people to stay away from affected areas.

“This is an active disaster area,” Vargo said. “It’s unsafe for you to be there. It’s unsafe to have traffic out to where our first responders (are working). So we just plead for you to stay away from that area and let the first responders, and that department of highways and all other services do our job so we can get the citizens back into their homes as quickly as possible.”

The governor has declared a state of emergency in Ohio County.

The number for the emergency operations center is 304-234-3756.

Major Road Closures:

-US 40/ National Road (Triadelphia to Valley Grove) (Ohio County)

-WV 88/Bethany Pike (At Hamilton Ave) (City of Wheeling)

-GC&P Road (Wheeling & Ohio County)

-Middle Creek Road (Ohio County)

-Warden Run Road (City of Wheeling)

-Shilling Bridge (City of Wheeling)

-Junior Ave Bridge (City of Wheeling)

-Lumbar Ave (City of Wheeling)

-Monument Place Bridge (City of Wheeling)

-US 40 / National Road (Monument Place Bridge to Junior Ave Bridge) (City of Wheeling)

-Dixon Run Road (Ohio County)

-Short Creek Road (Ohio County)

-McGraw’s Run Road-Atkinson Crossing (Ohio County)

-Battle Run Road (Ohio County)

-Point Run Road (Ohio County)

City of Wheeling Flood Debris:

-Residents impacted by flooding can put debris in front of their homes for sanitation pickup.

Important Numbers / Report Missing People:

-If the public has questions about flooding, please call the Emergency Management Agency at 304-234-3756.

Emergency Shelter Location:

-Elm Grove Elementary School – 85 Mil Acres Drive, Wheeling, WV 26003

Tetanus Shots:

-The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department is offering free tetanus shots. Shots will be administered starting at 8:30 a.m., Monday. Locations are at the Health Department – 1500 Chapline Street and at Riesbeck’s Parking Lot in Elm Grove. No appointment is needed. Proof of West Virginia ID is needed. The health department can be reached at 304-234-3682.

Flood Clean Up Supplies:

-Flood Kits are on their way and distribution locations will be announced ASAP.