West Virginia flooding: At least 26 dead as severe weather pummels state

Many more are unaccounted for in Greenbriar County

At least 26 people are dead - many more are still missing - after heavy rains and flooding devastated the state of West Virginia.

The Associated Press reports that most of the dead or missing are in the town of Greenbriar, home of the golf course of the same name where the PGA tour was scheduled to make a stop in less than two weeks.

“The reports we got this morning are that Greenbrier County may still have some folks unaccounted for,” Chris Stadelman, chief of staff for Gov Earl Ray Tomblin, told the AP. “It does not appear there are unaccounted for people in other counties, but it's still a somewhat fluid situation.”

Owner of the Greenbrier golf course, Jim Justice, a Democrat running for governor, issued a statement expressing concern for the people in the area - which is the only county that is reporting unaccounted for residents.

“[O]ur focus right now isn't on the property, golf course or anything else,” he said. “We're praying for the people and doing everything we can to get them the help they need.”

Greenbriar County Sheriff Jan Cahill said that Greenbriar had descended into “complete chaos”, the likes of which he had never seen.

“Roads destroyed, bridges out, homes burned down, washed off foundations,” Mr Cahill said. “Multiple sections of highway just missing. Pavement just peeled off like a banana. I've never seen anything like that.”

According to the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 32,170 homes and businesses in the state are still without power.

Five hundred people were left stranded in a shopping centre as the city became submerged in the torrential weather. Many had to be rescued from rooftops or, in some cases, trees.

“My wife was out there four and a half hours hanging in a tree with a house burning right beside her, flood waters running all around her,” said Jimmy Scott, whose wife, Belinda, narrowly escaped death when a gas leak inside their house caused an explosion.

According to Mr Scott, the woman broke through a vent before making it onto a porch and up the tree.

About 200 National Guardsmen were dispatched across eight counties in the state to assist with search, rescue, and other relief efforts. Gov Tomblin issued a state of emergency in 44 of 54 counties.