WHEELING, W.Va. — It’s estimated the floods in Wheeling and Fairmont from Father’s Day weekend destroyed multiple homes and left several hundred more with varying degrees of damage. The Morrisey Administration has already made the formal request for a disaster declaration to the White House for individual assistance for homeowners who lost everything. However, on top of that, the Governor on Wednesday in his most recent visit to Ohio County unveiled another program to offer an additional layer of assistance to those who have incurred major loss of housing.
“The Housing Development Fund has approved my request to make over $500,000 in funds available to assist individuals and families hurt by the flood,” said Morrisey in a press conference in Wheeling.
The money will cover an array of potential costs associated with any damage to a victim’s home.
“It’s going to be based on individual circumstances. It’s a capped amount so we have to make sure we’re not spending more than we have, but the object is to help people in affected families,”
As of Wednesday afternoon 931 damage surveys had been completed by Ohio County flood victims. Of the most affected, Ohio County Emergency officials said 34 homes were a total loss, 44 were classified as “inaccessible” and another 235 had what was considered “major damage.” Marion County had 445 surveys completed. There 21 homes were destroyed, three were inaccessible, 61 had “major damage” and 157 homes had minor damage. Officials added there were many more homes in both counties with less severe damage.
“With respect to housing we want to make sure we’re on top of it, so I’m glad we’re able to help,” Morrisey told reporters.
Those wishing to apply for the money can visit WVHDF.com to learn more about how the program will operate.
The half-Million in available funds from the Housing Development Fund will be extended not only to victims of the June flooding in Ohio and Marion Counties, but will also be made available to those who incurred major damage to their homes in the southern West Virginia coalfields in the February flooding. Recovery from that flood continues today as well.
Morrisey offered praise to all areas of state government in the response to the disaster. The West Virginia National Guard has 115 members deployed to the response in Ohio County and another 10 are activated in the Marion County recovery. The Guard’s heavy equipment in Ohio County has moved 8,000 tons of debris since they arrived. The material is being moved to a temporary location to be permanently disposed of at a later time.
The West Virginia Division of Highways is also active in debris removal. DOH trucks have hauled over 4,500 tons of debris to the landfill from the Ohio County recovery. According to the Governor, U.S. Route 40 remains open to emergency vehicles and local traffic only. The same for County Route 25 and several other key arteries in the flood zone. Some of those roads aren’t even passable and have been closed completely The DOH has a lot of work to do in the area to rebuild roads, particularly rebuilding the shoulders which were washed out in the high water.
Morrisey vowed the state government would be part of the recovery until it was completed.
The search for the last missing person from the high water continues. Sandra Kay Parsons, 83, of Triadelphia has been missing since the flood. Tuesday night, authorities in Clarington, Ohio recovered a female body from the Ohio River. So far there has been no positive identification on the body. Clarington is located about 30 miles down river from Wheeling.
Governor Morrisey was cautious in what he would say about the discovery.
“While we’re not ready to release the name, we believe we have a ninth victim from the flood and that’s disconcerting,” he said.