CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Kanawha County officials are gearing up for more potential flooding.
Just a week after dealing with flooding, the county could see more high water over the weekend. Between two and four inches of rain could fall in parts of the state from Saturday until Sunday, according to forecasters.
On Thursday afternoon, the National Weather issued a flood warning for the Coal River. The NWS says between two and three inches of rainfall will result in moderate flooding in parts of Kanawha, Boone and Lincoln counties.
Kanawha County Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman says a flood warning coming this far out warrants action.
C.W. Sigman
“I think it warrants at least a State of Preparedness,” Sigman said during a Kanawha County Commission meeting Thursday. “That way if we do have a disaster and FEMA comes in, we’ve done something. We’ve had action.”
“We have a lot of people living in the flood plain and now is the time to pay attention,” Sigman said. “We have some that live in pretty remote areas that maybe don’t have phone service, so t’s harder from them to the warnings. We ask them to pay attention to the TV news or the weather radio and be aware.”
The commission agreed to Sigman’s suggestion to issuing at least a State of Preparedness, with one likely being announced on Friday.
Commission President Ben Salango says they will be working hand-in-hand with Sigman in the near future to clear culverts and other objects that can’t afford to be backed up during high water events.
Ben Salango
“We’re looking at maybe doing an ordinance, looking at enforcement, some other things that you’ll bring before the commission for us to consider,” Salango told Sigman Thursday. “Essentially taking more steps to get culverts cleared and to make sure that we’re looking at the ditches, getting DOT involved when necessary to help us clear those ditches.”
Salango said Sigman will bring the ideas before the commission during their March 6 meeting.