Twenty six people have been confirmed dead in West Virginia after the state suffered its worst flooding in a century this week. 250 mm or rain was recored in parts of West Virginia on Thursday 23 June 2016, roughly a quater of the expected annual rainfall for the state, and leading to flash floods that swept away many houses and other buildings. The worst hit areas are reported to be in the southeast of the state, notably Greenbrier County, where sixteen people are reported to have died and Kanahwa County, where another six fatalities occured.
Floodwaters near White Sulphur Springs in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, on 24 June 2016. AP.
At least a hundred homes are thought to have been destroyed, while across the state about 32 000 homes and businesses are thought to be without electricity. A State of Emergency has been declared by President Barack Obama following a request from State Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, meaning that residents of the worst affected areas will be able to apply for federal aid to help them rebuild.
Flooding in Richwood in Nicholas County, West Virginia, on 23 June 2016. Jeremy Rose/Charleston Gazette-Mail.
Richwood
Richwood
West Virginia has a warm subtropical climate with rainfall largely driven by evaporation in the North Pacific rather than the (nearer) Atlantic, with prevailing winds predominantly carrying moist air from the West that is pushed upwards by the Appalachian Mountains, causing it to cool and lose its capacity to cary as much water, resulting in rainfall. However Atlantic storms can reverse this process, bringing warm moist air from the Atlantic, which also tends to deposit its water content on encountering the Appalachians.
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