W. Va. Emergency Officials Watch Rivers, Some Residents Evacuated

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Emergency officials are keeping an eye on the Greenbrier and Ohio rivers after heavy rains moved across West Virginia.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Greenbrier River at Alderson from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning. The Greenbrier was expected to crest at 15.5 feet, 1.5 feet above flood stage, around 7 p.m. Wednesday. Minor flood was expected.

A flood watch is in effect for the Ohio River at Wheeling and Moundsville through Friday afternoon. The weather service said minor flooding is possible.

Heavy rains sent small creeks out of their banks in parts of West Virginia on Tuesday but no injuries or major problems were reported.

About a half dozen residents along the South Fork of the Cherry River in Richwood were evacuated Tuesday afternoon, said Junior Dancy, a dispatcher for the Nicholas County Emergency Operations Center.

Two families living in a residence along State Route 220 were evacuated after Mill Creek left its banks in Hampshire and Mineral counties. Sections of the highway between Junction and Moorefield were reduced to one lane and some secondary roads were impassable because of high water, Burlington Volunteer Fire Department Chief Randy Henderson said.

State Route 3 at Harper Mountain in Raleigh County was closed following a rock slide, the Raleigh County Emergency Operations Center said.

Minor stream flooding was widespread in Greenbrier County. Emergency workers rescued one woman who drove into high water in the Frankford area, a 911 dispatcher said.

Emergency dispatchers also reported high water in Fayette, Marshall, Ohio, Hardy, Pendleton, Pocahontas and Summers counties.

Information from: The Register-Herald,
http://www.register-herald.com