OHIO (CONVERSEER) – Ohio County, West Virginia is reeling from the aftermath of a deadly flash flood that struck on Saturday, 14th June, leaving eight people dead, including a 3-year-old child, and one person still missing as of Tuesday, 18th June. The flooding, described as the worst mass casualty disaster in the county’s history, caused widespread destruction in the communities of Triadelphia and Valley Grove.
Bishop Mark Brennan of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston has urged residents and the faithful to pray for the victims and survivors of the flood.
“I ask you to join me in prayer for all those affected by the devastating flash flood that occurred on Saturday in Ohio County,” Brennan said in a statement. “We pray especially for those who lost their lives as well as those who are still missing.”
According to officials, the victims of the flood ranged in age from 3 to 74. Governor Patrick Morrisey, speaking at a press conference in Wheeling on Tuesday, confirmed that an eighth body, that of an unidentified male, had been recovered. The flooding began late on Saturday evening following torrential downpours that overwhelmed waterways including U.S. Highway 40, Middle Wheeling Creek, and Little Wheeling Creek.
The Weather Channel reported that Wheeling Creek rose from three feet to nearly ten feet in just 90 minutes, catching residents off guard. The speed and intensity of the flooding led Ohio County Sheriff Chief Deputy Kent Lewis to declare it the “largest mass casualty” event the county has experienced.
Witnesses described the scene as harrowing. Tammy Rosenthal, a Triadelphia resident and member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, recounted watching helplessly as vehicles were swept away by rising waters. “We watched at least four or five vehicles … going down the creek with their headlights and their taillights on and just praying that nobody was in them,” she said.
Lou Vargo, Director of the Wheeling–Ohio County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, said he had never seen anything like it in his 35 years of service. “The way it occurred was unlike anything we’ve experienced,” he said at a press conference on Sunday morning.
Governor Morrisey, who visited the devastated areas, declared a state of emergency in both Ohio and Marion Counties. Marion County experienced its own flash floods, leading to the partial collapse of an apartment building in Fairmont, though no fatalities were recorded there.
Describing the event as a “unicorn event”—a rare meteorological occurrence—the governor said 3 to 4 inches of rain fell in narrow areas in under an hour. The storm system was part of a larger weather pattern that also brought deadly floods to Texas earlier in the week.
Swiftwater rescues were carried out by West Virginia’s Division of Natural Resources, with the use of drones, utility terrain vehicles, and dive teams. A total of 19 rescues were conducted, according to the state.
The community response has been swift and heartfelt. Rosenthal spoke of the overwhelming support from local residents, businesses, and organisations. “There are local athletes down here helping, there’s a paving company down here trying to remove all the mud with their equipment,” she said. “There have been numerous organizations bringing cleaning supplies, food, just offering a hand. It’s honestly amazing.”
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston has mobilised its resources, with employees and volunteers from Mount Calvary Cemetery assisting in debris removal, and diocesan staff helping with relief operations. St. Vincent’s Parish is collecting supplies and asking residents to alert them to anyone in need. The parish school has also donated food and water from its festival, which was ongoing the night of the flood.
Brennan has approved a special collection to be held at all parishes and missions in the Wheeling vicariate over the weekends of 21–22 and 28–29 June to support victims.
Deacon Thomas McFadden of St. Vincent’s and Our Lady of Seven Dolors Mission echoed the bishop’s appeal for both prayer and action, encouraging residents to offer help wherever possible.
In a further show of solidarity, Wheeling Central Catholic High School and Wheeling Park High School boys’ basketball teams will play a flood relief benefit game on 25th June, with proceeds going to the Triadelphia and Valley Grove Volunteer Fire Departments—both of which were involved in emergency efforts and suffered damages during the floods.
Governor Morrisey expressed his gratitude to first responders and volunteers and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to recovery and rebuilding. “What we experienced in Ohio County on June 14 was devastating and extraordinary,” he said. “But the response from the people of West Virginia has been equally extraordinary.”