'Never seen anything like this': Cleanup begins after flash flooding swamps region

A Metro 911 supervisor said — as of 4:45 a.m. Monday — that 54 calls came in, but some could have been related to the same incident.

Areas of major concern, each with about a half-dozen calls or more, included:

• Garrison Avenue, ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä
• Campbells Creek Drive, ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä
• Cross Lanes/Tyler Mountain
• Cabin Creek, specifically Eskdale

One of the rescues involved a city worker who fell into the water trying to help a person in a disabled-placarded vehicle, according to Capt. Dave Hodges of the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Fire Department. The incident took place on Garrison Avenue, and the city worker was not injured.

Storm damage survey, disaster reli±ð´ÚÌý

12 p.m.: The Kanawha County Commission announced a storm damage survey in a news release Monday. They encourage residents who experienced property damage due to flooding to complete the West Virginia Emergency Management Division Weather Damage Survey at bit.ly/Kanawha_DamageAssessment.

When filling out the survey, residents should provide their address and photos of the damage, if possible, the news release said. If you can't complete the survey, you can report damage by calling the Kanawha County Planning and Development office at 304-357-0570. For additional help filling out the survey, call 211 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

10:45 a.m.: City workers have been assessing damage, clearing debris and addressing impacted roadways since Sunday, City of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä officials said in a news release Monday.

As they continue to respond to storm-related issues, city officials encourage anyone who has experienced storm-related damages to their property to report it in their new survey at bit.ly/CWV_DamageAssessment. The survey is not for financial assistance, but the information gathered will be shared with state and federal agencies and volunteer groups to support disaster recovery efforts.Ìý

The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 314 Donnally St., is accepting disaster relief supplies, according to the news release. Needed items include: 

• Bottled water
• Disinfectant cleaner
• Fans and dehumidifiers 
• Flathead shovels
• Heavy-duty trash bags 
• Paper towels 
• Work gloves 
• 5-gallon buckets

More than 4 inches of rain; more expected

Sunday's rain was historic for our area, with 4.23 inches falling at the West Virginia International Yeager Airport, according to Joe Curtis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä. Curtis said most areas of Kanawha County saw 2-4 inches of rain throughout the day.

Sunday's rain breaks the old daily record for Aug. 16 of 1.64 inches in 1922. The record for most rain at the airport was 5.6 inches on July 19, 1961.

"The ground is getting more and more saturated," Curtis said Monday morning. "When we get rainfall like we had yesterday, the ground just can't hold it."

Looking ahead at the National Weather Service's forecast for the week, be prepared for more rainfall and storms in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä.Ìý

• Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon and evening; high of 84, low of 69
• Tuesday: Chance of participation is 20%, with cloudy skies in the morning; high of 82, low of 64
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a chance of thunderstorms after 2 a.m.; high of 86, low of 68
• Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms are likely all day, with mostly cloudy skies. High of 82, low of 65 
• Friday: Partly sunny with a 50% chance of rain during the day, cloudy skies and a 30% chance of rain in the evening; high of 81, low of 65

Water rescues in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä

8:30 p.m.: Flooding in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä is prompting water rescues in several areas of Garrison Avenue, the 1000 block of Bullitt Street and other locations as heavy rain fell across ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Sunday evening, according to Metro 911. The intersection of Rutledge Road and Greenbrier Street was also flooded Sunday evening as Elk Twomile Creek came out of its banks after heavy rain passed through.

Knee-high water was reported on ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä's West Side in the area of Green and Stockton streets.

Other ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä locations reporting high water Sunday night included:

• 1500 block of Hubbard Road
• First block of Meadowbrook Drive
• 1700 block of Chandler Drive
• 1700 block of Sugar Creek Drive
• 2000 block of Bakers Fork Road
• 900 block of Mathews Drive

'I've never seen it like this'

8:30 p.m.: Zion Godfrey shot video — posted to Facebook by his wife Emily Halen — showing water gushing like a river down Valley Road at Swarthmore Avenue in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Sunday night around 8:30 p.m. The water filled the entire width of the street as it flowed from the Cato Park area downhill on Valley Road toward West Washington Street on the West Side.

"I grew up on that street," said Godfrey, who still lives in the area. "It's flooded before. I've never seen it like this."

Severe Thunderstorm, Flash Flood warnings for central W.Va.

7:45 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for central West Virginia including Cabell, Putnam and Kanawha counties through 8:15 p.m., by the National Weather Service.

Expect heavy rain and 60 mph wind gusts and up to ¾-inch diameter hail.

There is also a Flash Flood Warning for most of Kanawha County through 8:45 p.m. The NWS expects between 1½ and 2½ inches of rain to fall across the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä area during that time.

'Flooding all over Kanawha County'

4:30 p.m.: Storms pounded Kanawha County, leading to high water and water rescues from Cross Lanes to Cedar Grove. Incidents were reported by Metro 911 at:

• Victoria Road and Big Tyler Road, Tyler Mountain
• 4900 block of Washington Street West, Cross Lanes
• 600 block of Melody Lane, Tyler Mountain
• Rocky Lane, Cross Lanes
• 500 block of Hull Avenue, Cedar Grove
• 5000 block of Washington Street, West, Cross Lanes
• 5200 block of Dalewood Drive, Cross Lanes
• Campbells Creek Drive, Tad
• 700 block of Days Drive, Campbells Creek

"There's flooding all over Kanawha County," said Sigman at around 6:30 p.m. Sigman chased flooding calls all day through the storms.

Sigman said there were no reported injuries at that time.

Water rescues in Eskdale along Cabin Creek

12:30 p.m.: Water rescues kept emergency crews busy Sunday morning as early-morning rains prompted the National Weather Service to put southeastern Kanawha County under a Flash Flood Warning at 8:41 a.m. Between 2 and 3½ inches of rain have fallen, according to the National Weather Service.Ìý

Metro 911 reported several water rescues in the Cabin Creek and area of the Upper Kanawha Valley.Ìý

"We're very busy right now," Sigman said around 10:15 a.m. "There is a lot of high water and a lot of rescues." 

Between 10-10:30 a.m. Sunday, water rescues were reported by Metro 911 at Cove Road and Sandy Lane in Eskdale, Carbon Road in Carbon and Cove Road in Eskdale.

First responders assisted people stranded in their houses due to high water and people attempting to drive through high water, but no injuries have been reported, Sigman said.Ìý

Sigman said the most important thing for people to do is to steer clear of high water as much as possible.Ìý

"Just this morning we had two visitors ... start wading out into the water," Sigman said. "Don't do that. Stay out of the flood water." 

Other areas of Kanawha County remain under a Flash Flood Watch until 8 a.m. Monday, as continued rainfall is expected.Ìý

Up to 1½ more inches of rain are possible, according to the National Weather Service. The Flash Flood Warning will remain in effect until 2 p.m. Sunday.

As of around 12:30 p.m., Cabin Creek was receding, according to East Bank Volunteer Fire Chief James Stamper.

Sunday morning flooding in other areas

Areas experiencing flash flooding include Chesapeake and Marmet. Cabin Creek is out of its bank in the Miami and Ronda areas, according to Chesapeake Fire Chief Jeremy Thompson.

W.Va. 61's eastbound lane is closed due to a major mudslide. The 5500 block of Paint Creek Road is also shut down due to high water, according to Metro 911.Ìý

This is a developing story. Return for updates.