State Of Preparedness Issued For Flooding Threat

Gov. Jim Justice has declared a State of Preparedness for all 55 counties throughout West Virginia due to the threat of flooding this week.

The main threat will be possible isolated flash flooding due to heavy downpours or steady rain, with storms forecast for much of the state through Friday morning.

During his regular briefing, Justice discussed the situation considering the state’s topography.

“We’re expecting the possibility of three to five inches of rain but doesn’t sound all that harmful, but three to five inches of rain coming down off our mountains and coming down really fast can cause real problems,” Justice said. “We enjoy all the beauty beyond all comparison, but where beauty really can be a little bit of a handicap at times, you just got to be careful and enjoy the beauty all the time.”

As part of this State of Preparedness declaration, Justice has directed the West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WVEMD) to implement the West Virginia Emergency Operations Plan as necessary, organize appropriate personnel and resources to be prepared to respond to any emergency that may develop, and facilitate the provision of any essential emergency services that may be required.

Justice and the WVEMD ask all West Virginians to remain attentive to weather conditions through local media reports and follow any instructions issued by emergency officials.

For updates on changing conditions, follow the WVEMD onFacebook and onTwitter.