Three year old and four others killed after flash flooding in West Virginia

Five people, including a three-year-old child, have died and three others are missing after severe flash flooding hit West Virginia.

Around 2.5 to 4 inches of rain fell in half an hour on Saturday night in the city of Wheeling, which is around 200 miles north east of the capital city of Charleston, while people climbed trees to escape.

Officials have said that one of the victims is a three-year old child but no further details have been given about the others, according to the New York Times.

A block of flats in West Virginia partially collapsed and residents were evacuated after the severe flooding, CBS News said.

Lou Vargo, Ohio County’s emergency management director, said during a news conference yesterday: ‘We almost immediately started getting 911 calls for rescue of people being trapped.

‘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 and so fast… 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.’

A resident in Fairmont, whose pet dog was killed in the flooding, posted on GoFundMe:  ‘In a matter of hours, [my mom] lost her pet, Darla, clothes, furniture, personal belongings, and even her vehicle. The place she called home is now unrecognisable.’ 

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