At least three people were killed and several others remain missing after flash floods swept through parts of West Virginia on Saturday night.

“I have declared a state of emergency for Ohio County,” Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a Sunday morning Facebook post that announced “multiple fatalities.”

Newsweek has reached out to the Ohio County Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service (NWS) for comment via email on Sunday.

Why It Matters

Flash flooding poses serious dangers, with the NWS urging people to get to higher ground. Drivers are encouraged to avoid flooded roadways and watch for erosion or obstructions that can make roads unstable or impassable.

People are urged to avoid entering flooded indoor spaces because of the risk of electrocution.

Flooding is the second deadliest weather hazard in the United States after extreme heat, with most fatalities occurring when vehicles are swept away by rising waters.

What To Know

An area of West Virginia near Ohio and Pennsylvania experienced dangerous flash flooding Saturday night, with Lou Vargo, director of the Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency, telling Fox Weather, “We received about 2.5-4 inches of rain through the city and the towns of Valley Grove and Triadelphia.”

The Weather Channel noted the incredible speed at which the water fell, reporting that, “Wheeling Creek rose from 3 feet at 8:45 pm to roughly 10 feet at 10:15, a 7-foot jump in an hour and a half.”

Vargo confirmed three deaths, addingthat “we still have reports of missing persons.” He said that drones and dogs are helping emergency crews in the search for missing people.

The NWS had issued several flash flood warnings, including a Flash Flood Emergency warning.

“We have had major infrastructure damage to roads and bridges,” Vargo said, noting that this complicated rescue efforts.

The governor noted in his Facebook post that state police and members of West Virginia’s Division of Natural Resources are supporting rescue efforts, and the Division of Highways is working to clear roads and debris.

A state of emergency declaration gives the governor expanded authority to respond to the crisis, including the ability to deploy the National Guard.

The NWS has issued a flood watch for parts of southeast Ohio and western West Virginia until 8 p.m. Sunday evening, warning that “excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks.”

What People Are Saying

The Weather Channel meteorologist Sara Tonks said on Sunday: “The storm was part of a stalled frontal system that has been bringing heavy rain to the region for several days.”

Lou Vargo, director of the Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency, told local WTRF: “We’ve never seen anything like this in Ohio County. Bridges are out, roads are gone, homes destroyed—and our first responders are still actively searching.”

What Happens Next?

Local officials have requested that residents stay home and off the roads as emergency vehicles continued to respond to the situation.

Thousands of residents remain without power, which may be delayed due to gas leaks that make it unsafe to do so, Vargo told local WTRF.