A reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was in Ohio County recently, and on December 28th, the newspaper published a heart-wrenching reminder of the fatal flooding that claimed nine lives and caused millions in damage back in mid-June.
And, while construction and demolition have taken place since tons of debris were cleared and several roadways were repaired, the video posted to Facebook on December 29th by Triadelphia Fire Chief Dave Patterson reminded the 15,000 viewers that there are many residents in the affected areas who are still recovering.
Between 2.5 to 4 inches of rain fell on parts of Ohio County in less than an hour during the early evening of June 14th, and thunderstorms and a steady, hard rain continued into the early morning hours. First responders saved at least 50 residents from the white-capped rapids of water that covered U.S. 40 and swept away trailers, campers, storage containers, a power substation, and vehicles of all sizes.
First responders from Ohio County – and from at least 10 counties and two states – responded for weeks, members of two national, Christian-based emergency rescue organizations embedded, and the Red Cross, FEMA, and the Small Business Administration were on the ground through October and are still working with local flood victims on their claims.
Donations have flowed in from individuals from across the world, and plans for an official memorial to honor the nine lost lives are in the works. They were Sandra Kay Parsons, 83, of Triadelphia, Michael Veronis, 74, of Moundsville, his bride Connie Veronis, 71, of Moundsville, Michael Bokanovich, 73, of Triadelphia, Lisa McMasters, 59, of Triadelphia, Jesse Pearson, 43, of Triadelphia, Kyleigh Minch Shotton, 26, of Triadelphia, her daughter Parker Shotton, 3, of Triadelphia, and Travis Creighton, 19, of Triadelphia.
“With the amount of damage and loss that took place in these communities, whatever normal was around here is gone for good, that’s for sure,” said Mike Palmer, the pastor at the Triadelphia United Methodist Church. “And it’s going to take a long time for whatever a “new normal” is going to be to take hold.
“It’s been a tough time … a very tough time.”
