Dozens of People Unaccounted for in Virginia after Destructive Flooding
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – More than 40 people have been reported unaccounted for by loved ones after floodwaters swept a riverfront Appalachian community in southwestern Virginia on Wednesday, triggered by heavy rains in the area, local authorities said.
The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office said that it is trying to reach and find 44 people to check on their well-being and that it is making progress, NBCNews reported.
No confirmed deaths or injuries have been reported, the office said.
At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, officials stressed that not all people who have been reported missing are necessarily in danger.
“They have been reported missing because their family members might not have been able to get in contact with them due to power outages in the area,” said Billy Chrimes, a Virginia Department of Emergency Management search and rescue specialist.
About 18 search and rescue organizations are actively assisting in the search.
The flooding was concentrated in the area of Dismal River Road, which includes Dismal River, Patterson, Hale Creek, Pilgrim’s Knob, Whitewood and Jewell Valley, the sheriff’s office said. The communities of Whitewood and Pilgrim’s Knob were primarily affected when Dismal Creek overflowed its banks.
More than 100 homes experienced some damage, including flooding, according to the Emergency Management Department.
