Torrential rains have caused flash floods across West Virginia, inundating homes and businesses, washing out bridges, and prompting numerous water rescues.
Governor Patrick Morrisey deployed 100 National Guard members and declared a state of emergency for all 55 counties.
Up to seven inches of rain fell, though no fatalities were immediately reported.
The National Weather Service in Charleston issued urgent warnings for life-threatening conditions Tuesday night, advising residents to "SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!"
Social media posts showed submerged vehicles, including at a Weston Walmart where muddy water surged deep into the store.
Bob Pfister, staying at a hotel in Weston, noted the first floor was inundated but power remained on. "Right now this option is much better than a shelter and a life boat," Pfister wrote on Facebook. "If the power goes out that may change a whole lot!"
Emergency crews conducted dozens of water rescues, though some areas remained inaccessible.
Flash flood warnings for West Virginia expired by Wednesday morning, with new alerts for neighboring Virginia.
The heavy rains were part of a wider storm system that also produced tornado reports across several states, with possible tornado damage in West Virginia's St. Marys and Belmont.
Communication channels in Lewis and Upshur counties were overwhelmed with emergency activity late Tuesday.
Lewis County Commissioner Agnes Quinn Queen confirmed first responders were engaged in water rescues for hours, stating, "The devastation across our county is extensive." In southern West Virginia, a sinkhole caused by the storm swallowed a vehicle at a Fayetteville bar.
Governor Morrisey urged residents to remain home due to hazardous travel conditions forcing closure of major routes like Interstate 79 and U.S. Route 48.
The ground was already saturated from Saturday's two inches of rain.
These storms arrive a decade after heavy rains in the same regions claimed 23 lives.
A U.S. Geological Survey water gauge near Buckhannon revealed the Sand Run Creek tributary reached a record level, surpassing the mark set during a November 1985 flood that killed 47 statewide.
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