CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — Some Jefferson County residents spent the night in a shelter after more than 2.25 inches of rain fell in a short window of time in the Eastern Panhandle Wednesday evening.
The storm blew through under dark skies with a large shelf cloud, sideways rain, and wind.
In Jefferson County, at least three separate reports of roofs off houses, including Charles Towers Apartments, which led to the evacuation of all the residents.
The city of Ranson opened an emergency shelter at the Ranson Civic Center staffed by the American Red Cross. The Jefferson County Board of Education used buses to transport residents to the shelter.
Jefferson County Emergency Services reported the storm’s primary impact areas there were Charles Town and Ranson.
“The Jefferson County Emergency Communications Center received multiple emergency calls during the storm, including reports of six downed power lines and five downed trees – two of which struck or landed near structures. At the peak there were over 1,500 power outages and as of 10:52 p.m. on July 16th, 481 residents remained without power,” according to JCOHSEM.
For additional information about the emergency shelter, please contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). For additional information regarding the incident contact Independent Fire Company at 304-725-2514.
Today could also be a stormy day in the Mountain State.
The National Weather Service has placed more than 30 West Virginia counties under a flood watch beginning at 2 p.m. through this evening.
Meteorologists said there’s the chance for heavy rain that could cause flooding aided by previously saturated ground. The watch covers most all the the state with the exception of the northern and eastern panhandles and the Greenbrier Valley.