Smith Creek Road near Burns Lane, east of Tornado, is impassable on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, after flooding hit several lowland areas around the Coal River.
This is the view from the home of James and Jane Trump along the Coal River in Tornado at about 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2025. The Coal River in Tornado crested around 5:30 p.m. Sunday at 28.21 feet — a foot above the moderate flooding stage for the river.
James Trump uses a tractor to scrape mud off of Mountain View Drive and his driveway in Tornado on Feb. 17, 2025, where the Coal River took down his mailbox and street sign (left).
Smith Creek Road near Burns Lane, east of Tornado, is impassable on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, after flooding hit several lowland areas around the Coal River.
CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE | Gazette-Mail
February’s devastating floods killed three people and destroyed countless homes and businesses across Southern West Virginia. But now, some of the state’s affected counties are being shut out of federal flood recovery funds.
As the floodwater receded across the southern coalfields following torrential rain and flooding on Feb. 15-16, Gov. Patrick Morrisey asked for funding through both the Public and Individual Assistance programs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. By early March, his request included 14 counties.
This is the view from the home of James and Jane Trump along the Coal River in Tornado at about 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2025. The Coal River in Tornado crested around 5:30 p.m. Sunday at 28.21 feet — a foot above the moderate flooding stage for the river.
Courtesy photo
Morrisey can appeal these decisions within 30 days of Tuesday’s FEMA ruling.
“FEMA has offered the ability to appeal this decision,†Morrisey said in a statement late on Tuesday. “And I will look at all options to do so.â€
Morrisey thanked the Trump administration for their support following the floods.
“Despite [Tuesday’s] notification, I am grateful to the Trump Administration for their strong support for southern West Virginia’s recovery following the February floods.â€
The Individual Assistance program benefits individuals and households, while the Public Assistance program benefits communities.
Total FEMA outlays in West Virginia are still to be determined.
“The amount of FEMA PA assistance that goes to entities within each designated West Virginia county,†a FEMA official said in a statement, “will be determined based on the damages submitted by eligible Applicants for reimbursement throughout the disaster program delivery process.â€
Requests to the West Virginia Emergency Management Division and the Governor’s Office for details on county-by-county damage estimates were not returned by press time Wednesday.
‘If it’s your house, it’s catastrophic’
A Kanawha County emergency management official said FEMA’s decision is understandable.
“If it’s your house, it’s catastrophic,†said C.W. Sigman, director and fire coordinator for the Kanawha County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. “But [Kanawha County] did not suffer the catastrophic damage — in terms of numbers of homes, businesses — that the southern counties did.â€
Sigman said most of the flood damage that Kanawha County saw was in the Tornado area along the Coal River and in low-lying areas of Nitro.
Here’s a breakdown of Kanawha County damage:
38 properties with minor damage
8 properties with major damage
2 properties destroyed
Kanawha County Commissioner Natalie Tennant is hopeful that FEMA will heed a possible appeal from Morrisey.
“While Kanawha County did not experience catastrophic flooding in February like some of our neighbors to the south did,†Tennant said, “Some of our residents and their properties were affected. I appreciate the governor appealing FEMA’s decision, and I will work with him to solve the problem.â€
Chad Nelson, floodplain manager for Cabell County, said he didn’t have figures for estimated damage costs in the county from the Feb 15-16 flooding. Nelson said he contacted the WVEMD to get a dollar figure that was provided to FEMA to make their assessment but also did not receive a response by press time Wednesday.
Nelson said his office only received two calls regarding FEMA’s Individual Assistance. Both residents were concerned about driveway access over a creek that had been damaged by rising water.
Boone County saw high water from the storms in the Wharton and Bim areas along Pond Fork, a tributary of the Little Coal River, according to Boone County EMA director Michael Mayhorn. There were several high-water rescues reported and one house damaged, but no injuries were reported. Mayhorn declined to comment on FEMA’s denial of Individual Assistance for Boone County.
James Trump uses a tractor to scrape mud off of Mountain View Drive and his driveway in Tornado on Feb. 17, 2025, where the Coal River took down his mailbox and street sign (left).
CHRIS DORST | Gazette-Mail file photo
In a statement, FEMA officials said several factors are used to evaluate individual assistance:
State fiscal capacity and resource availability
Uninsured home and personal property losses
A disaster-impacted population profile
Impact to community infrastructure
Casualties
Disaster-related unemployment
The need for public assistance is figured with:
Estimated cost of the assistance
Localized impacts
Insurance coverage in force
Hazard mitigation
Recent multiple disasters
Programs of other federal assistance
To find more information about the declaration process and evaluation factors for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance, go to fema.gov/disaster/how-declared.
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