BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (AP) — Two people have died in flash floods caused by torrential rains in West Virginia this week, the governor’s office said Thursday.
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An emailed statement from Lars Dalseide, communications director for Gov. Patrick Morrisey, did not provide details on where the bodies were found or how the people died. Their identities were not immediately released.
They are the first confirmed deaths from Tuesday’s floods, when forecasters said up to 7 inches of rain fell. Morrisey said some places received 4.5 inches in 37 minutes. Officials in north-central West Virginia have described the devastation as extensive.
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An Aerial view shows extensive flooding in Buckhannon, W.Va., Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (Office of West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey via AP)
The parking lot of the Walmart in Weston, W.Va., after severe floods on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)
Mud and debris near Stonecoal Creek in Horner, W.Va., after severe floods on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)
Damage and debris outside of a home after severe floods in Weston, W.Va., on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)
Video and photos on social media showed submerged vehicles in parking lots, including at a Walmart in Weston where muddy water surged into the store. Across a nearby highway, a hotel’s main floor was inundated. Dozens of people stuck in submerged vehicles throughout the region had to be rescued, and floodwaters initially cut off access to them in some areas.
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