THE number of missing people after a devastating flood tore through Virginia on Tuesday night destroying more than 100 homes has risen to 44, said officials.
Children are among the missing, said the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, however, they clarified people are not in danger but just unaccounted for at this current time.
Major flooding has left nearly 100 homes damaged in Buchanan County, according to officials[/caption]
At least 40 missing person reports have been filed after the natural disaster misplaced locals[/caption]
The flooding destroyed phone service and other methods to contact missing people[/caption]
Multiple crews from surrounding counties are responding to the horror scene[/caption]
“We have 44 individuals unaccounted for at this time due to the flooding event that has occurred in the Whitewood area of Buchanan County,” read a statement from the sheriff’s office.
“This number reflects the number of people that has been reported to law enforcement by loved ones and family members as being unable to make contact with them.
“This does not mean the person is missing, it means we are attempting to reach and locate the person and check on their wellbeing. At this time we have no confirmed fatalities.”
The natural disaster left Buchanan County in ruins with locals desperately searching for misplaced loved ones.
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The flooding destroyed phone service and other methods to contact people, WDBJ7 reported, making the search for missing people more difficult.
Virginia Department of Emergency Management official said that search and rescue efforts are being impeded by landslides and poor road conditions, a local journalist reported.
“A lot of roadways are blocked by landslides. Bridges are washed out. Its going to take time to get that access restored, make contact with everyone and make sure their basic needs are taken care of,” said Virginia Department of Emergency Management Bill Chrimes.
Crews with Bedford County’s Special Operations Command are headed to Buchanan County to assist with the flooding damage.
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A reunification center has been set up at Twin Valley Elementary in Oakwood, Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Health is on-site to provide basic medical screening, WDBJ7 reported.
The American Red Cross is also assisting with medical care.
Roanoke County Fire and Rescue and the Lynchburg Fire Department have responded to this incident.
Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to aid with recovery efforts, the AP reported.
“As we continue to assess the situation, I want to thank our first responders and the personnel on the ground for providing assistance with our ongoing operations in Buchanan County,” Youngkin said in a statement.
“While rescue and recovery continues, please join me in prayer as we lift up our fellow Virginians impacted by this tragedy.”
“The situation right now is still in the emergency response phase,” said CEO of United Way of Southwest Virginia Travis Staton.
“We are in touch with Buchanan County authorities and will begin offering on-site assistance once they let us know how and where we can do the most good.
“First now, the best thing we can do is to stay out of the way of the first responders and keep everyone affected by this in our thoughts and prayers.”
Officials say the missing people may not be in immediate danger as they cannot be contacted by phone at this time.
However, they are still working to check on all misplaced individuals to see if they are okay.
Authorities also said the number of unaccounted-for people is expected to decrease as swift-water rescue teams continue to survey the area, a reporter with the AP said.
So far, there have been no confirmed fatalities or injuries from the widespread disaster.
