Flash Floods Strike McDowell County
Last Updated 08-01-2002
Route 52 Bridge at Landgraff	On Sunday, July 8, 2001 disastrous flash floods struck McDowell and surrounding counties in southern West Virginia. The waters raged down the area's narrow valleys with such force that houses were torn from their foundations and entire communities were devastated. The flooding left more than 1,200 McDowell County residents homeless and damaged an estimated 1,500 structures within the county. Approximately 650 residential and business structures suffered significant damage. The county was declared a federal disaster area. In this region prone to flash floods, this particular episode was called the worst in a century. Less than ten months later, on May 2, 2002, the region again experienced flash flooding. It appears that the scope and magnitude of the damage caused by the latest round of flooding will exceed that of July 8th. There are seven confirmed deaths in the county. Four people are still missing. The county has again been declared a federal disaster area. Back to the Coaldigger Alumni Home Page

Photos McDowell Street 05-04-02 Coney Island 05-04-02 Welch 05-04-02 Landgraff 07-09-01 Landgraff 07-09-01 Landgraff 07-09-01 Virginia Ave. 07-08-01

Relief Auctions This site is auctioning off items to benefit the victims of the flooding. Net proceeds go to local organizations providing direct assistance to victims. Visit the GHS Flood Relief Auctions Page for details.   Local Relief Organizations The following list has been taken from the McDowell County GenWeb site maintained by David Grubb. McDowell Mission PO Box 746 Gary, WV 24836 304 448-2227 Mission Ministries PO Box 1011 Welch, WV 24801 304 436-4092 Highland Education Project (HEP) PO Box 580 Northfork, WV 24868 304 862-2545 The Council of the Southern Mountains PO Box 158 Wilcoe, WV 24895 304 448-2118 Contacts: James Eubanks Heather Murrell Five Loaves and Two Fishes Food Bank, Inc. PO Box 297 Roderfield, WV 24881 304 436-6644 King Pharmaceutical Disaster Services 304 585-7295 Contact: John Reed Big Creek People in Action HC 32, Box 541 Caretta, WV 24821 304 875-3418 Contact: Franki Rutherford Hensley Assembly of God PO Box 98 Hensley, WV 24843 Contacts: Gene Thorn 304 682-8633 Philip Lucion 304 656-7314 Cooperative Action Program of Southern McDowell County Box 134 Panther, WV 304 938-3199 Contacts: Ernest Leonard Teresa Matney Catholic Community Services PO Box 162 Eckman, WV 24829 304 862-3318 Mustard Seeds and Mountains PO Box 686 Northfork, WV 24868 304 862-4643 Contact: Randy Wallace Books for Flooded Appalachia c/o Rhonda Lane Phillips PO Box 11102 Blacksburg, VA 24062   From the Red Cross Flash Floods and Mountain Towns: WV Disaster Relief Continues    07-13-2001 West Va. Mountain Towns Face Long Recovery    07-12-2001 Flooded West Virginia Towns Heaped in Mud    07-10-2001 Red Cross Responds to Flooding in W. Va.    07-09-2001 Each of the above articles explains how you can contribute to Red Cross disaster relief efforts.   From FEMA Complete WV Disaster Coverage, May, 2002    President Declares Major Disaster for West Virginia Flood Victims    Complete WV Disaster Coverage, July, 2001      From the Bluefield Daily Telegraph 'Muddy Water' Sets Pain, Perseverance of McDowell to Music    08-01-2002 DEP Strives to Reclaim More Than Land in Gary    08-01-2002 McDowell Facilities Get Back-to-School Makeovers    07-28-2002 McDowell Fair Shifts Focus from Flood to Fun    07-16-2002 McDowell County Library Opens New Chapter in Region's Recovery    07-16-2002 Dual Flood Damages Top $95.9 Million    07-15-2002 Officials Move to Reclaim McDowell Waterways    07-10-2002 McDowell Looks Back on Year of Tragedy and Triumph    07-09-2002 McDowell Plans Tribute to Flood Victims, Survivors    07-05-2002 Federal Flood Recovery Funding Tops $26.5 Million    06-25-2002 Homer Hickam Works to Help Hometown Recover    06-24-2002 Colorado Visitors Join Flood Recovery Efforts    06-18-2002 FEMA Answers Victims' Concerns    06-16-2002 Kimball Couple's Legacy Remains in Three Young Hearts    06-16-2002 Keystone Flooding Topic of Meeting    06-14-2002 DEP: Timber, Coal Operations Contributed to WV Flooding    06-12-2002 Flood Victims not Surprised by DEP Report    06-12-2002 FEMA Introduces Flood Buyout Plan    06-04-2002 Welch Library Struggles to Rebuild Resources after Flood    06-02-2002 Unique Emergency Supplies Arrive in McDowell County    06-02-2002 McDowell Students Head Back to School    05-31-2002 Project Recovery Helps Flood Victims    05-31-2002 Demolition Date Nears for Condemned Buildings    05-23-2002 Guardsmen Reflect on Fallen Comrade    05-22-2002 Elkridge Residents Face Rough Road to Recovery    05-22-2002 Faces of the Flood    05-20-2002 Cleanup Continues in McDowell    05-19-2002 Teams Condemn First of McDowell's Flood-Ravaged Structures    05-16-2002 McDowell Schools Closed    05-14-2002 Flood-Control Project Expected to Begin Soon For McDowell County    05-14-2002 Flood Victims Continue to Dig Out in McDowell    05-13-2002 Death Toll Rises by One; Stories of Heroism Emerge in Coalfields    05-12-2002 Search and Rescue Contines in McDowell    05-12-2002 Elections in Midst of Destruction    05-12-2002 McDowell County Landmark Survives May 2 High Water    05-11-2002 McDowell School Prognosis "Isn't Good"    05-10-2002 Workers Fight to Keep Environmental Disaster From Taking a Human Toll    05-10-2002 Road Damage Estimates Top $11 Million    05-10-2002 Rescue Workers Won't Quit    05-09-2002 McDowell Leaders Refuse to Let Flood Wash Elections    05-09-2002 Weather Renews Worries    05-08-2002 Workers Face Grueling Task of Rebuilding McDowell    05-08-2002 County Residents Down, but Not Out    05-07-2002 Search and Rescue Continues as Damage Assessment Begins    05-07-2002 Rockefeller: Help is on the Way    05-07-2002 Flood Shuts Down McDowell Schools    05-07-2002 Search Intensifies for McDowell Flood Victims    05-06-2002 Bush Declares Disaster Area for Affected Counties    05-06-2002 Flood Death Toll Rises    05-05-2002 Storms Strike!    05-03-2002 McDowell Residents Sort Through Chaos of Mud and Water    05-03-2002 Group Brings Hope to McDowell    03-17-2002 Kimball Elementary School to Reopen in Early February    01-03-2002 Xmas in Switchback: Flood Hasn't Dampened Students' Spirits    12-20-2001 'New Hope' at Christmas Time    12-17-2001 Kimball Residents Hope Christmas will Help Heal Flood Wounds    12-16-2001 Starland Heights Project Provides SAFE Housing in McDowell County    11-21-2001 Residents Sound Off in McDowell    11-20-2001 McDowell County is Hiring    10-03-2001 Flood-proofing Begins in McDowell    09-26-2001 FEMA Closing Recovery Offices, Vows Commitment Still Stands    09-20-2001 National Guard Presented with W.Va. State Service Ribbons    09-10-2001 Flood Recovery Continues in McDowell County    09-09-2001 Wise: W.Va. is on the Way Back    08-29-2001 'New Hope' Coming to McDowell County    08-28-2001 Governor Promotes West Virginia's Future in Bluefield    08-28-2001 McDowell Heads Back to School    08-27-2001 Residents: Indian Ridge Footbridge a Necessity    08-26-2001 Rocket Boys Deliver School Supplies    08-23-2001 Demolished Structures Continue to Mount in Wyoming, McDowell Counties    08-22-2001 Officials: Northfork Middle Opens August 27    08-21-2001 School Board Looks at Options for Northfork Students    08-16-2001 Officials Test School Facilities    08-15-2001 Officials Hope to Get Northfork Middle Ready in Time for Fall Classes    08-14-2001 McDowell Initiative Could Yield Flood Recovery, 200 New Jobs    08-12-2001 $43 Million May Not be Enough for Restoration    08-10-2001 Home Show Set in Kimball    08-10-2001 Corps of Engineers Reshapes Region    08-09-2001 McDowell Schools' Repair Cost Climbing    08-08-2001 Northfork Middle School Closed    08-07-2001 Pocahontas Land Donates 42 Acres in McDowell    08-07-2001 McDowell Residents Can Still Participate in Flood Relief Project    08-06-2001 Volunteers Donate Time in the Kitchen for 'Food for Children'    08-05-2001 McDowell Officials Hope Improved Infrastructure Will Rise from Flood Destruction    08-05-2001 State Gets $8 Million for Flood Recovery    08-02-2001 Officials: Kimball Elementary Won't be Ready by Aug. 27    08-02-2001 Wise Pledges to Rebuild Southern West Virginia    08-01-2001 Residents Stand Their Ground: McDowell Citizens Struggle with Housing Issues    08-01-2001 Deadly Waters Return: Three-year-old Washed Away by Swollen Stream    07-30-2001 Area Braces for Additional Rainfall    07-29-2001 Potter Appointed Honorary General    07-29-2001 Kimball Picks Up Pieces    07-26-2001 Learning Center Halts Classes to Aid in Recovery    07-24-2001 Anawalt Mayor: Water Work Takes Top Priority    07-23-2001 Flood Damage Shouldn't Delay School Start    07-23-2001 Courage in Cleanup: Spirit of McDowell Shines Through Flood Debris    07-22-2001 McDowell Flood Victims Rebuild Dreams    07-20-2001 McDowell Residents Get Grants to Help Them Begin Again    07-19-2001 Temporary Homes Headed for McDowell County 07-18-2001 McDowell County Survey: Over 1200 Without Homes   07-16-2001 Flood-Proof Plan Needs Revisions 07-16-2001 McDowell Residents Face Crisis with Hope 07-16-2001 McDowell Residents Face Cleanup Head-on 07-13-2001 McDowell Damage Tops $50 Million 07-12-2001 McDowell County Residents Face Colossal Cleanup 07-11-2001 Region Declared Federal Disaster Area 07-11-2001 Receding Water Reveals Damage 07-10-2001 McDowell Residents Struggle to Rebuild 07-10-2001 Southern WV Communities Struggle to Recover 07-10-2001 Communities Destroyed by Raging Floods 07-09-2001   From the Washington Post Eight Still Missing After W.Va. Flood    05-06-2002 4 Dead, 14 Missing in Appalachian Floods    05-04-2002 Thunder in the Valley: A Flood's Grim Wake    07-12-2001   From Disaster News Network Reaching Out in Appalachia    07-05-2002 Killer Floods Hit WV Area    05-03-2002 WV Hit by More Flooding    07-31-2001 Tragedy Continues in VA/WV Mountains    07-31-2001 Relief Underway in Flooded WV    07-25-2001 Shelters House Hundreds in WV    07-12-2001   Other Links McDowell County Commission July 2001 Flood Info Site    McDowell County Commission May 2002 Flood Info Site    McDowell County GenWeb Flood Info Site    Coalwood Photos    WV MetroNews McDowell County Photos    WV MetroNews Southern WV Photos