WYOMING COUNTY, W.Va. — A deluge of overnight rain forced a number of small streams out of their banks Friday morning in the West Virginia coalfields.
High water was reported in parts of Mingo, Logan, Wyoming, and McDowell Counties. Creeks rose up and caused roads to become impassable for a brief period of time. Mudslides also created problems for travelers in the southwestern side of Wyoming County and in the areas upstream of Matewan in Mingo Counties.
“The creeks got up pretty high and we saw water in the roads. Then we had some drainage problems that allowed some pooling on the roads. It was enough to cancel school for the day,” said Dean Meadows, Emergency Services Director in Wyoming County.
Schools were also closed for the day in Mingo County after similar reports of flooding in low lying areas of Matewan, Red Jacket, and other remote locations.
There were no reports of substantial damage or any homes or buildings impacted.
“We saw a couple of yards where the water came up and it may have blocked access for a while, but nothing inside the houses, so we were thankful for that,” Meadows said.
Meadows said the Division of Highways already had crews working to clean up debris from the roadways and make repairs.