Officials confirm all 44 missing individuals found alive following Virginia flooding
Officials in southwestern Virginia were happy to report that there were no fatalities following serious flooding that occurred from Tuesday into Wednesday.
As cleanup efforts continue and floodwaters recede in flood-ravaged southwestern Virginia, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday morning that it had made contact with all 44 people who were reported missing on Wednesday.
The sheriff’s office credited help from the Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and many other local and state resources to help track down the whereabouts of the missing individuals.
Around 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the authorities were working to find 17 missing persons including scouring areas that were impassable on Wednesday due to the flooding. By 10 a.m., that number had been trimmed to just three. During a press briefing at noon, officials confirmed they had gotten in touch with the remaining three individuals.
Officials said the floodwaters were receding and the county is working with the Virginia Department of Transportation to remove debris and mud from the roadways to get them re-opened and assess damage to residences.
“There are still no reports of fatalities or injuries related to the ongoing flooding,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Virginia and parts of neighboring Tennessee were hit hard by flooding rain Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The flooding forced the evacuation of 400 people from a campground in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Flood damage in Pilgrim's Knob, Virginia, seen on July 13, 2022.
Law enforcement officials had expected the number of missing people to go down once rescue teams were able to get out and cover more ground.
Buchanan County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Eric Breeding told reporters that the number of unaccounted-for persons is based on relatives attempting to contact an area resident where phone service may be limited or cut off completely.
"It doesn't necessarily mean that they are in trouble or in danger," Breeding stated. "They're just letting us know that we need to check on these people."
24-hour NOAA doppler rainfall estimates (colors) and rain gauge reports (numbers) during the flooding in Buchanan County, Virginia, in the early morning of July 13, 2022.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management was assisting local crews on Wednesday, providing support after heavy rains Tuesday night caused flooding and power outages in the Buchanan County area. The county, on the western border of the state, had radar estimates show that more than 6 inches of rain likely fell in the area during the middle of Tuesday night.
While there is no specific number of homes reported to be damaged, VDEM stated that a "significant" number of homes were damaged as a result of the floods, likely topping 100 in all.
As a result of the heavy rainfall and severe flooding, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to assist with response and recovery efforts in Buchanan County.
Flood damage in Pilgrim's Knob, Virginia, seen on July 13, 2022.
The closest U.S. Geological Survey river gauge to Pilgrim's Knob is located 17 miles away in Litwar, West Virginia, on the Tug Fork River. That instrument recorded a rise in water levels of 2 feet within an hour during the flooding.
"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 press release. "While rescue and recovery continues, please join me in prayer as we lift up our fellow Virginians impacted by this tragedy."
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Virginia's southwestern neighbor also experienced hardship due to flash floods late Tuesday. Around 11 p.m. EDT, the Gatlinburg Fire Department in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, was alerted to a call that 14 people were trapped at the local Greenbrier Campground, with first responders at the scene stating to WVLT News that water had risen to the height of the campground's picnic tables. The flash flooding at the campground led to the rescue of the trapped individuals, as well as the evacuation of more than 400 people from the site.
Local officials stated that there are no reports of injuries or stranded individuals as of Wednesday. Affected residents who needed shelter into Wednesday morning were set up with a temporary evacuation safe spot at nearby Pittman Center Elementary School, where the American Red Cross responded to those in need. A total of 69 individuals took shelter at the school overnight.
24-hour doppler rainfall estimates (colors) and rain gauge reports (numbers) during the flooding near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on the evening of July 13, 2022. The Greenbrier Campground is indicated with an "X" (NOAA)
The Greenbrier Campground is located approximately 5 miles northeast of Gatlinburg and about 30 miles southeast of Knoxville. The campground is also roughly 10 miles away from Dollywood, the theme park partially owned by legendary musician Dolly Parton. Elsewhere in Gatlinburg, previously calm streams were seen roaring past residents Tuesday night.
With limited river gauges in the area, the closest reading of flooding levels was taken 12 miles downstream of the campground near Sevierville, Tennessee. The USGS river gauge noted that the river rose over 4 feet within 30 minutes and over 6 feet within 2 hours.
Observations on top of nearby Mount Leconte reported 3 inches of rain Tuesday, while radar estimates indicate that twice that amount may have fallen in a nearby area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park drains into the valley where the Greenbrier Campground is located on the West Prong Little Pigeon River.
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