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Crews Rescue the Stranded in West Virginia Flooding; 24 Dead

CBN

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The death toll continues to rise as rescue workers search for flood victims in parts of West Virginia, where torrential rains and high waters destroyed more than 100 homes, washed out roads and bridges and knocked out power for thousands of people.

At least 24 are dead after a deluge swamped southeast West Virginia on Thursday night, and hundreds of others were left stranded.

About 500 people were stranded overnight in a shopping center when a bridge washed out, and dozens of other people had to be plucked off rooftops or rescued from their cars.   

"Our focus remains on search and rescue," the governor said Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. "It's been a long 24 hours and the next 24 hours may not be much easier," he added.

For wheelchair bound Karol Dunford, it was a long wait. But the 71-year-old was rescued in the nick of time. The waters started to reach the Air Force Vietnam veteran's shoulders when workers found her in her flooded trailer located in Greenbrier County.

 Greenbrier took the brunt of the devastation and County Sheriff Jan Cahill described the scene as "complete chaos".

 "This was so violent," said Wayne Pennington, the fire chief in Lewisburg, the seat of Greenbrier County. "It removed structures. It swept cars away. It destroyed trees, guard rails. It churned up the earth. It exposed water lines and broke them. It was just mass destruction on a scale I've never seen."

Some families were left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Many homes were completely destroyed, and some were torn from their foundations and carried away.

 Dunford said she lost everything, including her best friend, a little Chihuahua named Frankie.

At least 15 people were killed in the county and officials fear more will be discovered as teams from across the state search through the rubble the storm left behind.

Operation Blessing is responding to the flooding by sending two semi-truckloads of food and disaster relief supplies.

"Please continue to pray for those in harm’s way and those that have lost love ones," said Jody Getty V.P. of Operation Blessing's U.S. Disaster Relief & Programs, in an e-mail message.

Help those devastated by disaster. Give to CBN’s Operation Blessing Disaster Relief.

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