FAYETTEVILLE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Fayette County was among the areas hit with severe rainfall Monday night in what has seemingly been a continuous barrage of torrential rains throughout the summer.
County officials convened remotely Monday afternoon, as substantial damage to several areas throughout the county has prevented all but the most essential travel.
“We need to make sure that no one is going into the area unless it’s completely necessary,” said Commissioner Brenemen.
Much of the session pertained to the procuring of supplies and the reporting of damages, a process further complicated by the sustaining of damages to the already limited means of communication in more rural locations.
“If you’re not familiar with this area, we don’t all have internet or cell service in a lot of places around here,” said Commission President Allison Taylor. “I think we’re going to try to figure out [getting] something set up in Smithers where folks can report,” she continued.
“We think that’s where we can try to provide some capability for [residents] to complete the [damage] survey. So I think what we’ll do is create a place over there where people are reporting their car damage and other things going on, whether they have insurance or not, that sort of thing. We can just have that available to them there to fill out if they don’t have access to the internet.”
Indeed, Smithers was one area which suffered some of the most significant damage, with copious amounts of mud enveloping several places and creating limited visibility and mobility for everyone from citizens to authorities responding to the damage.
Substantial impact was also sustained in the Gauley Bridge region, particularly in the Scrabble Creek area.
“We need some heavy equipment up Scrabble Creek to open the road back up. There’s probably five feet of rock going across the road in spots,” said Gauley Bridge Mayor Bob Scott, who was also present for the session. “The only way in now is by four wheeler, pretty much. The new road they put in going to the school is washed out, Scrabble Creek at the baptist church is washed out.”
Route 39 in the Gauley Bridge area suffered blocked pipes as a result of the rockfall, which led to the presence of even more water on the roadways – an issue which is currently being addressed by clean-up crews.
Notably, Fayette County Route 2, Cannelton Hollow Road, between Smithers and Mount Olive Correctional Facility saw an array of lane and shoulder washouts, with cleanup in these areas reportedly being estimated to take several days.
These damages are especially significant as they create travel issues for roadways to Mount Olive Correctional, a maximum security facility which can house over 1,000 individuals.
Commissioner John Brenemen disclosed that he has been in contact with officials from other areas in addressing these issues.
“I’ve talked with the mayor of Summersville, he’s offered to send his people in to help as much as possible,” said Brenemen, remarking specifically that action is being taken to ensure that the prison does not run out of water.
Commission President Taylor stated that a press release is in the works to address the issues discussed in Monday’s emergency session, as well as the intense flooding which led to the declaration of a State of Emergency in the area by Governor Jim Justice – more on that here.
Additional LOOTPRESS coverage of the damage incurred in the Fayette County area can be found here.
