“Fast” and “hard” is how the torrential rainstorms poured on communities like Cameron in Marshall County early last week.
More than 20 homes were badly damaged in Cameron, pipes were clogged with debris, and personal belongings were destroyed. W.Va. Del. Lisa Zukoff (D-4) told W.Va. Metro News the day after the storm, “I’m not trying to be dramatic but it is nasty.”
“It was flooding that you had to see to believe because that rain came down hard and fast and hit both Cameron and Moundsville very quickly,” explained Marshall County Sheriff Bill Helms. “There were seven inches of water inside Cameron Grade School and so many other homes in the county reported water in their basements, too. That sure was a lot of water in a very short amount of time.
“The people in Cameron started the clean-up process right away and there was just so much debris,” he said. “There were chairs, washers and dryers, TVs, and refrigerators. A lot of people lost a lot of their belongings, and that’s such a shame. It sure didn’t help that the ground was already wet from previous rains so that mean it just rolled off and caused every stream and creek in the area to overflow onto properties and roadways.”
The devastation, however, did not stop one neighbor from help another,
“What has always struck me about the people of Marshall County who come out and assist our deputies. That has always been impressive to me. They will get their tractor to pull a tree off the road, or they get their chain saw to help with the debris removal,” Helms said. “There are times when our guys control the traffic because community members are helping each other. I can tell you that if feels good to see when those people come out to help our guys.
“That’s what we had in Cameron last week even though a lot of those people lost a lot of stuff, they came out to help other people. I think that says a lot about the people who live in Cameron,” he said. “It’s been my experience that people in this county and in this valley really pull together when things like flash flooding take place. We are blessed to live in a community like that.”
Attention in Charleston
One week ago, Gov. Jim Justice made the following announcement:
Today, Gov. Jim Justice declared a State of Emergency for Marshall County due to excessive rainfall, beginning on Monday, June 21, 2021, that caused flooding to businesses, homes, government buildings, educational facilities, and recreation facilities in and around the City of Cameron.
As part of today’s State of Emergency, the Governor has directed the West Virginia Emergency Management Division to:
- Implement the West Virginia Emergency Operations Plan as it relates to flooding.
- Mobilize appropriate personnel and resources to respond to the emergency.
The State of Emergency will remain in effect for 30 days, unless terminated by subsequent proclamation.
“I believe the people with the city of Cameron will be dealing with their clean-up and recovery for a while because the area was declared in a state of emergency,” Helms said. “We may have heard those words before, but I do not recall a time when it was declared for Cameron. That just tells me how bad it really was and the damage that it caused.
“There was a period of time when we had to tell people not to travel to Cameron until the waters went down,” he continued. “I know a lot of people here in the valley think that Cameron is on the top of a hill, but that’s not really true. You climb the hill to get there, but then you drop down in a valley where Cameron actually sits.”
Call to Call
Soon after the rains arrived in Marshall County, dispatchers with the Marshall County 911 Center answered hundreds of calls from residents whose homes were being flooded, Helms reported.
“It was like someone flicked a switch,” the sheriff said. “But that’s why it’s called flash flooding. It happens very quickly and we all know water is going where it wants in those situations.”
Deputies with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department responded as quickly to as many calls as possible, but such situations can prove hectic because of how many calls for help were received.
“Anytime we have a weather situation like that, we do our very best to try to keep roads open because we have a lot of blockages that take place in weather like that,” Helms said. “Plus, our deputies ran from call to call because when it rains like that, our phones ring off the hook. They really do their best trying to keep up with all of them, but it can be frustrating for them because they want to help as many people as possible.
“Our deputies have to prioritize the calls, too, and that’s not the mention the other calls we receive about accidents or domestics or whatever. We have to answer those calls, too,” he added. “It was a busy time, I can tell you that, and those deputies did everything they could. “
