This diary is a place for WV and western Virginia folks to check in with Daily Kos and hopefully share information about assistance after the torrential rains on Thursday June 24.
And on a political note, this is why we have a Rainy Day Fund in West Virginia, and why the Republicans were so wrong to try and raid this fund to balance the deficit in the budget this year. We will need every penny of reserves to help recover from this devastation, and thanks to Governor Earl Ray Tomblin for holding out this June.
This is an update from last night’s diary www.dailykos.com/...
The latest news is that overnight the death toll has risen to 23 with many still missing. Local news links
There are places not yet reached in the state- our famous country roads are narrow and crooked and many are now are washed out. The Weather Service has called this a 1000 year flood, with 7 inches falling in 3 hours in some areas, and 10 inches overall in Greenbriar County, where over most deaths were reported. Some areas are in recovery not rescue but I think people will still be rescued. Many cars and homes were lost.
Red Cross is fundraising for flood victims as well. www.redcross.org/...
Festivall in Charleston, a big s fundraising for Red Cross and is still going on as scheduled, although some venues are relocating. This is a major arts festival for the region, which depends heavily on tourism in the summer season. The areas deeply affected are the scenic areas like the New River Gorge areas near where people go rafting.
19000 people are still without power.There are a lot of locals in Huntington and Charleston and all over the state just driving to WalMart or other places to get some needed supplies. Some people are still trapped in that shopping Mall the Elk View Plaza in Clendenin (Eastern Kanawha County, off highway 79), but most have been evacuated as the National Guard rebuilt a road overnight. The Clendenin exit is closed off I 79 South and Clendenin has experienced a lot of devastation. Here is a google doc to set up places for drop-offs. docs.google.com/… If you are driving in to the devastated areas, check for road closings before heading out.
DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
State Capitol California Avenue and Kanawha Boulevard Saturday 9am-9pm
Marshall University
Marshall Recreation Center
Corner of 5th Avenue and 20th Street
Drop-off barrel location
Marshall University
Memorial Student Center
Corner of 5th Avenue and John Marshall Dr.
Drop-off barrel location
Blacksheep Burritos and Brews
1555 3rd Avenue
Huntington, WV 25701
11 am-5 pm every day
Facing Hunger Foodbank
1327 7th Avenue
Huntington, WV 25701
Monday-Wednesday 8 am-4:30 pm
Fat Patty’s Barboursville
3401 U.S. 60 East
Barboursville, WV 25504
10:30 am-10 pm every day
Hampton Inn Huntington
177 Kinetic Drive
Huntington, WV 25701
Drop-offs available 24 hours a day every day
Mancini's Pizza
2002 3rd Ave.
Huntington WV, 25703
11 am-11 pm every day
Charleston Town Center - Sears Court Level One
3000 Charleston Town Center
Charleston, WV 25389
June 25th-June 29th during mall hours
Hurricane City Hall
3255 Teays Valley Road
Hurricane, WV 25526
All day Friday and Monday
Hurricane VFW
3836 Teays Valley Road
Hurricane, WV 25526
Friday and Saturday - All Day
American Federation of Musicians Local 136 Go to Hale Block Party Saturday 10am-6pm
Boone County Courthouse
200 State Street
Madison, WV 25130
Friday - Monday 9am-9pm
Monroe County 911 Center 39 Nota Street Union, WV 24983
Family Dollar Peterstown, WV
People need toiletries, bottled water, baby diapers and feminine supplies as well as cleaning supplies and packaged snacks. Towels and washcloths would be welcome as well as hand sanitizers. Basically, people are cleaning up and need everything but not clothes yet, since there is no place to store these.
If you are in Huntington, stop by and give OVEC a hand. They are organizing trips to affected areas.
The City of Huntington and the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition (OVEC) have established drop-off locations for supplies that will be distributed to flood victims in West Virginia.
- Collected through Thursday, June 30.
- OVEC will be working with other groups across the state to coordinate how the items will be best distributed after pick-up.
- OVEC is seeking volunteers can offer to help load supplies on Thursday and provide transportation. Their new location is on West 14th in Huntington.
Hoping for help and for more news from those affected about how to help.
