CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey expressed optimism about receiving a Major Disaster Declaration for the state following catastrophic flooding that claimed three lives.
In a Saturday interview with Fox News, Morrisey was asked whether West Virginia was receiving adequate federal assistance.
“We’ve been speaking with the federal government, and I want to applaud the efforts of all the folks on the ground—the local emergency management folks, first responders, all the people, volunteer efforts,” Morrisey said.
“We’ve been working very closely with FEMA and folks at the federal level, so I’m very hopeful we’ll be getting some approvals coming very, very soon.”
The flooding occurred on February 16, prompting Gov. Morrisey to request a Major Disaster Declaration from President Donald Trump the following day after personally assessing the damage.
In response to the disaster, Morrisey declared a State of Emergency in Cabell, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Logan, Mercer, McDowell, Mingo, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming counties.
All three confirmed fatalities occurred in McDowell County.
West Virginia was not the only state impacted by the storm system. Kentucky also experienced severe flooding, resulting in widespread devastation and at least 20 deaths.
President Trump approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Kentucky on February 16.
FEMA is currently conducting damage assessments in West Virginia before making a final determination on federal assistance, according to sources.
The most recent Major Disaster Declaration for West Virginia was granted on December 9, 2024, by former President Joe Biden for Mercer County following damage from Post-Tropical Storm Helene, which impacted the state from September 25-28, 2024.
