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Biden Makes Disaster Declaration For April W.Va. Flooding

By From STAFF REPORTS 2 min read
A vehicle is partially submerged in flood waters in the middle of South Huron Street on Wheeling Island Thursday. Much of the south end of Wheeling Island was closed to traffic Thursday as the Ohio River neared major flooding levels when it reached its crest. (Photos by Eric Ayres)

President Joe Biden on Wednesday officially approved a major disaster declaration for West Virginia, including three Northern Panhandle counties affected by storms and flooding that occurred from April 2-6.

Federal funding is available to those affected in Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Boone, Cabell, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, Nicholas, Putnam and Wayne counties. Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App.

On April 5, the Ohio River crested at 41.49 feet in Wheeling, the 26th-highest crest in recorded history at that spot and the highest recorded since 2005. That crest was just below major flood stage, but still led to significant damage on Wheeling Island and other parts of the city.

Assistance available through this disaster declaration can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides, and mudslides in Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Preston, Tyler, and Wetzel counties.

Landslides were a particular problem in the Northern Panhandle. One home on Park View Road was destroyed due to a landslide and another caused major damage to Mount Zion Cemetery. Other landslides temporarily made roads impassable.

Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Jeffrey L. Jones of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.

Starting at /week.