Death toll from West Virginia floods climbs to 23

WEST VIRGINIA (WTVQ)-Fast floodwaters rip a burning home from it’s foundation, taking it on a ride, before it crashed into a bridge. The water was so strong four big barges also broke lose before they too slammed into bridges.

A Nicholas County man says, “It’s worst I’ve ever seen it. I’ve seen stuff floating down the river. We had a flood in I think 2003 and it’s nothing like this.”

Many people say they weren’t prepared.

Gary Dolin of White Sulphur Springs says, “No one around here has got any flood insurance. You know we used to carry it. It got so high we quit carrying it years ago.”

But at a news conference today West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said the state was ready to respond.

“Unfortunately we’ve dealt with weather emergencies all too often in the past several years, so we were prepared to act quickly.”

After declaring a state of emergency yesterday, 200 national guardsmen came in for back-up to help local agencies make water rescues.

Five hundred people are still stranded at a shopping center in Elkview, the rushing waters swept away a nearby bridge,their only way out

George Murdock says, “We bought a grill a while ago, grilled out in the parking lot up there, had burgers. Had to eat.”

Others are not only under high water but dealing with house fires.

Ashley Scott of White Sulphur Springs says, “We heard an explosion and smelled stuff burning and the next thing I knew I heard my mother-in-law scream when she was burnt in a tree and she was burnt badly.”

Unfortunately some are still looking for their loved ones this evening. Currently the death toll is at 23, but that number is expected to rise as crews begin to clear the rubble.