Deadly storms roar from US Midwest to Mid-Atlantic
Pastor Dale Morgan
Deadly storms roar from US Midwest to Mid-Atlantic*
By John Raby, Associated Press Writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Crews worked Thursday to restore power and clear
roads cut by flash floods and landslides after waves of heavy storms
crossed from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic, leaving one West Virginia
county without its only grocery stores and gas stations.
The National Weather Service warned that new storms in Kansas could
produce large tornadoes before nightfall Thursday and were already
unleashing large hail, strong winds and heavy rain in northwest Kansas.
Three deaths were blamed on the storms as they barreled across the country.
In West Virginia, where Gov. Joe Manchin declared a state of emergency
in 15 of the state's 55 counties, storms dumped several inches of rain
and knocked out power to nearly 67,000 customers at the peak of the
storm. Thousands were still without electricity on Thursday morning.
Fifteen homes and 15 businesses in Gilmer County — including the
county's only two grocery stores and four gas stations — were flooded
Thursday morning by the Little Kanawha River, county emergency services
Director Ed Messenger said.
"It's the biggest flood we've had since 1985," he said. "We're kinda in
a bind as far as groceries and gas. We can't get through town anyway and
it probably won't recede until 6 or 7 o'clock tonight."
The body of a man who was swept away while trying to drive his truck
through high water in Marion County was recovered Wednesday. Authorities
identified the man as Shane Efaw, 20, of White Hall.
Tens of thousands of people in the Washington area remained without
electricity Thursday, a day after violent storms downed tree limbs and
power lines. One person was killed.
Huu Dai Pham, 57, of Delaware, died Wednesday afternoon when a large
tree crushed a sport-utility vehicle in Annandale, Va., Fairfax County
police said. The driver was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
Utility officials warned some outages in the Washington area could last
for several days because of the severity of the damage.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and other officials planned to tour parts of
central Indiana Thursday to look at damage, including an Indiana
National Guard camp where a tornado hit Tuesday night but skipped over
barracks full of sleeping soldiers. The Guard said two soldiers suffered
minor injuries as they sought shelter from the twister.
Across Indiana, one person died Wednesday driving into floodwaters and
at least 10 were injured because of the storms.