Federal disaster declaration approved for Ohio, Marion counties
One month after devastating flash floods struck parts of West Virginia, killing nine and destroying dozens of homes, a long-awaited disaster declaration is here.
WHEELING, W. Va. – The federal government approved a disaster declaration for Ohio and Marion counties Tuesday, July 22, after devastating flash floods last month killed nine people and saw dozens of homes destroyed or severely damaged.
On June 14, several inches of rain fell over Ohio County in the matter of minutes, causing Little Wheeling Creek to rapidly jump its banks. The water stretched from hillside-to-hillside in the parts of the holler where Valley Grove and Triadelphia sit. Nine people lost their lives in the storm, with three of the deceased found 40 miles south in the Ohio River.
The next day, on June 15, another heavy rainstorm struck Fairmont in Marion County. The storm stalled over the county and, in a parallel to Ohio County the night before, dumped inches of water in the matter of minutes. One apartment building saw its facade fail while other homes saw significant damage from the rising waters.
President Donald Trump announced his decision to sign the declaration on the president’s social media platform Truth Social. “It is my Great Honor to grant $11.7 Million Dollars to the beautiful State of West Virginia, for severe tornados and flooding that impacted their incredible people in June,” the president wrote.
At no point was the decision to sign the declaration certain in Ohio County. Coming 38 days after the floods, survivors of the flood expressed their dismay at what appeared to be more immediate care given to the July floods in Texas’s Hill Country and Ruidoso, New Mexico. In those two instances, declarations were made within days of the initial event.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey submitted a formal request for a major disaster declaration and emergency declaration on June 20, and the state’s Congressional delegation signed on to a letter calling for swift adoption. Speaking to reporters last week, however, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said the White House did not receive the request until July 3.
Over the last month, a grassroots campaign coordinated largely by flood survivors urged constituents to call their representatives at the state and federal level day-after-day to push for the declaration’s adoption. Those efforts appear to have worked.
While questions about the declaration’s timing, and how the $11.7 million will be split between the two counties, remain, help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is on the way.
For local governments, the agency’s Public Assistance Program is available to help offset costs related to response and recovery efforts. For those impacted by the floods, FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program can help cover the costs of emergency repairs to homes, private bridges, private roads, temporary housing, transportation, moving and storage, funeral expenses, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, as well as expenses for medical, dental, legal, and childcare services.
Residents should first file claims with their insurance providers. Afterwards, they can apply for assistance in one of the following ways:
Call FEMA’s helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Lines are open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. seven days a week.
Download the FEMA mobile app from your phone’s app store.
When applying, residents should have the following information ready:
Social security number
Address of damaged residence
Description of damage and losses
Current mailing address and phone number
Insurance information, if available
Total household annual income
Additional information can be found on FEMA’s landing page for this disaster declaration and at emd.wv.gov.