West Virginia flood emergency triggers rescues, National Guard deployment

The West Virginia National Guard was deployed as severe flash flooding swallowed homes and businesses and pushed emergency crews into repeated rescues across hard-hit parts of the state. Some places took on as much as 7 inches of rain, and no deaths were reported.

Emergency workers carried out more than 33 water rescues during Tuesday’s flooding. In places where roads run tight against rivers or through hollows, even a short burst of rain can cut off neighborhoods and leave ordinary vehicles stranded.

The National Guard handles high-water rescues, debris removal, supply delivery and transport when roads are impassable. As floodwater pushed into homes and storefronts, responders had to focus first on life safety, then on whether roads, bridges and power lines were stable enough to keep crews moving through affected areas. Waterlogged inventory, damaged equipment and closed businesses add to the burden, while cleanup can drag on because contaminated water, mold and septic problems can linger long after the water recedes.

The latest flooding fits a pattern West Virginia has seen before. Flooding in June 2025 left at least five people dead, and another storm-related flood later in July 2025 also killed five.