Cleanup work is in full swing following flash flooding on May 9 that washed out roads and bridges across Mingo and Wyoming counties, and damaged hundreds of homes, schools and businesses. It's a team effort, involving thousands of neighbors and hundreds of National Guard troops, relief agency personnel, government agency employees and coal and gas company personnel.
NORTH MATEWAN, W.Va. -- At the last house up flood-scoured Rutherford Hollow, an endloader operated by James Newhouse of Clendenin spread crushed rock along a shored-up road shoulder. It was near the spot where Orville "Bear" Ray had to anchor his ATV to a tree to keep it from washing away.
"The water was beating at those supports under my house and coming over the top of the engine in my truck," Ray said, as he watched Newhouse work. "I had to chain my four-wheeler to that tree over there -- it was ready to leave. I've been here 41 years, but I was getting ready to run out of here, too."
Cleanup work is in full swing following flash flooding on May 9 that washed out roads and bridges across Mingo and Wyoming counties, and damaged hundreds of homes, schools and businesses. It's a team effort, involving thousands of neighbors and hundreds of National Guard troops, relief agency personnel, government agency employees and coal and gas company personnel.
As Newhouse, a partner in Well Tech of West Virginia -- a company that contracts with natural gas companies -- shored up the roadbed near the head of Rutherford Hollow Road, Michael Hinkle, a Massey Energy employee, was working a downstream stretch with a backhoe. After being furloughed recently from his job at a Massey surface mine, Hinkle was one of more than 20 laid-off workers called back to work this week at flood recovery tasks, using heavy equipment supplied by the coal company.
Hinkle spent Wednesday loading flood debris from both Rutherford Hollow Road and Rutherford Creek, which had completely washed out the roadbed at several locations on the mile-long road. Dump trucks and drivers from Charleston's 130th Airlift Wing and the 821st Engineer Co., based in Summersville and Spencer, hauled away the debris Hinkle scooped up.
Before the road was cleared and partially repaired, neighbors on four-wheelers ran bottled water and cleaning supplies up the hollow to those still stranded, said Anna Harrison, whose home is located across Rutherford Creek from the section of road Hinkle was clearing.
Now the road is muddy in places, but passable to high-clearance vehicles.
"People keep digging and trying to fix things up," Ray said. "You can't give up."
"Some of us have been joking that we needed a new road here, but didn't want to get it this way," said Harrison.
At nearby Red Jacket, where flood-swollen Mate Creek washed out their front yard, swept away their water and sewer lines, and deposited their car and van in the streambed, Carl and Yvonne Mills sat on their porch and wondered what kind of flood assistance they qualified for.
"FEMA was here the day before yesterday to fill out forms on the damage, but we haven't heard anything back from them, yet," said Carl Mills. Transportation is an immediate concern, he said. In addition to losing their $23,000 worth of vehicles, which an auto salvage yard has offered to scrap for $50 each, the Millses, both disabled, now lack a footbridge to access W.Va. 65.
As Mills discussed his problems with visitors, a group of volunteers from the Full Gospel Assembly of God in Matewan drove through the area, passing out free hot dogs and words of encouragement.
At the Burch High School complex between Delbarton and Taylorville, county school system crews removed silt from the Burch Elementary school parking lot. Nearby, in their temporary headquarters and barracks in Burch High School, members of the 821st Engineer Battalion of the West Virginia Army National Guard who weren't already on the road performed maintenance chores or prepared to move out.
The Guard unit's fleet of 5- and 20-ton dump trucks has been moving 300 loads of debris or road-building materials per day since arriving in Mingo County, where more than 600 West Virginia Army and Air National Guard members are on flood recovery duty.
"We're generally up at 5 or 5:30 to check out our trucks and gear," said Sgt. Mark Peters. "Today, we're mainly fixing roads, but tomorrow, we'll be back to hauling away debris. In another three weeks or so, things should be back together."
Members of the 821st returned to West Virginia last July from a year's deployment in Iraq. Active duty in the flood zone has a number of advantages over active duty in the Middle East, he said.
"For one thing, we don't have to put on the 85 pounds of gear we had to wear over there," Peters said. "We also have better places to stay, don't have to worry about roadside bombs, and don't have any enemies."
NORTH MATEWAN, W.Va. -- At the last house up flood-scoured Rutherford Hollow, an endloader operated by James Newhouse of Clendenin spread crushed rock along a shored-up road shoulder. It was near the spot where Orville "Bear" Ray had to anchor his ATV to a tree to keep it from washing away.
"The water was beating at those supports under my house and coming over the top of the engine in my truck," Ray said, as he watched Newhouse work. "I had to chain my four-wheeler to that tree over there -- it was ready to leave. I've been here 41 years, but I was getting ready to run out of here, too."
Cleanup work is in full swing following flash flooding on May 9 that washed out roads and bridges across Mingo and Wyoming counties, and damaged hundreds of homes, schools and businesses. It's a team effort, involving thousands of neighbors and hundreds of National Guard troops, relief agency personnel, government agency employees and coal and gas company personnel.
As Newhouse, a partner in Well Tech of West Virginia -- a company that contracts with natural gas companies -- shored up the roadbed near the head of Rutherford Hollow Road, Michael Hinkle, a Massey Energy employee, was working a downstream stretch with a backhoe. After being furloughed recently from his job at a Massey surface mine, Hinkle was one of more than 20 laid-off workers called back to work this week at flood recovery tasks, using heavy equipment supplied by the coal company.
Hinkle spent Wednesday loading flood debris from both Rutherford Hollow Road and Rutherford Creek, which had completely washed out the roadbed at several locations on the mile-long road. Dump trucks and drivers from Charleston's 130th Airlift Wing and the 821st Engineer Co., based in Summersville and Spencer, hauled away the debris Hinkle scooped up.
Before the road was cleared and partially repaired, neighbors on four-wheelers ran bottled water and cleaning supplies up the hollow to those still stranded, said Anna Harrison, whose home is located across Rutherford Creek from the section of road Hinkle was clearing.
Now the road is muddy in places, but passable to high-clearance vehicles.
"People keep digging and trying to fix things up," Ray said. "You can't give up."
"Some of us have been joking that we needed a new road here, but didn't want to get it this way," said Harrison.
At nearby Red Jacket, where flood-swollen Mate Creek washed out their front yard, swept away their water and sewer lines, and deposited their car and van in the streambed, Carl and Yvonne Mills sat on their porch and wondered what kind of flood assistance they qualified for.
"FEMA was here the day before yesterday to fill out forms on the damage, but we haven't heard anything back from them, yet," said Carl Mills. Transportation is an immediate concern, he said. In addition to losing their $23,000 worth of vehicles, which an auto salvage yard has offered to scrap for $50 each, the Millses, both disabled, now lack a footbridge to access W.Va. 65.
As Mills discussed his problems with visitors, a group of volunteers from the Full Gospel Assembly of God in Matewan drove through the area, passing out free hot dogs and words of encouragement.
At the Burch High School complex between Delbarton and Taylorville, county school system crews removed silt from the Burch Elementary school parking lot. Nearby, in their temporary headquarters and barracks in Burch High School, members of the 821st Engineer Battalion of the West Virginia Army National Guard who weren't already on the road performed maintenance chores or prepared to move out.
The Guard unit's fleet of 5- and 20-ton dump trucks has been moving 300 loads of debris or road-building materials per day since arriving in Mingo County, where more than 600 West Virginia Army and Air National Guard members are on flood recovery duty.
"We're generally up at 5 or 5:30 to check out our trucks and gear," said Sgt. Mark Peters. "Today, we're mainly fixing roads, but tomorrow, we'll be back to hauling away debris. In another three weeks or so, things should be back together."
Members of the 821st returned to West Virginia last July from a year's deployment in Iraq. Active duty in the flood zone has a number of advantages over active duty in the Middle East, he said.
"For one thing, we don't have to put on the 85 pounds of gear we had to wear over there," Peters said. "We also have better places to stay, don't have to worry about roadside bombs, and don't have any enemies."
Peters said the Guard truckers and personnel from the state Division of Highways have been working together and sharing tools and maintenance gear. "The community has really supported us, too," he said.
Although National Guard and civilian cleanup crews have cleared away thousands of tons of flood debris, there's still no shortage of material to move. Along U.S. 52, which follows the path of Pigeon Creek across much of Mingo County, hundreds of piles of flood debris are heaped along the highway. The scene is the same along W.Va. 65, between Taylorsville and North Matewan, where Mate Creek spilled out of its banks.
Most of the debris from the area is hauled to a temporary collection site adjacent to the Varney Community Center, where woody material, metal and tires are sorted out in separate piles. A drive-through arrangement in front of the community center allows area residents to quickly pick up boxes of Red Cross cleaning supplies and Salvation Army food boxes, while misdemeanor inmates from the regional jail load bales of straw and bags of lime for yard cleanup.
"People drive up and check in at the table here and list what they need, and we make sure that if we have it, they'll get it," said Lynette Morrison, who works at the community center and volunteers with the flood relief effort. "Right now, we've run out of rakes and we could really use wheelbarrows and thick rubber work gloves."
Inside the center, local volunteers were helping Red Cross personnel prepare some of the 350 meals a day served there.
"It's a good place to come and sit and relax for a little while," said Morrison. "But a lot of people get their meals to go, too."
Since much of the area remains without water service, a mobile shower setup is available at the center. Also on hand is a bank of pay phones that can be operated free.
"Most of the people you see working here are from the community," said Morrison. "We're all in this together."
FEMA emergency centers opened Wednesday at the Harless Community Center in Gilbert, in the Delbarton Volunteer Fire Department substation on Pigeon Creek, and in Matewan Town Hall. The centers will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., including Memorial Day.
The general FEMA telephone number in the area is 304-746-7107.
Earlier this week, Gov. Manchin suspended the state's sales and use taxes for flood victims who buy mobile or modular homes and building materials needed for home repairs
In order to quality for the exemptions, buyers must complete flood exemption certificates, which are available in area disaster recovery centers, county courthouses, municipal buildings and many home supply stores in the flood zone.
Those who have made purchases before completing an exemption form can claim a refund by filing form WV/CST-240 with the state Tax Department.
Building materials and supplies that may be purchased tax-exempt include bathtubs, bricks, cement blocks, central air and heating units, doors, hot water heaters, cabinets and counters, insulation, lumber, cleaning supplies and paint.
For guidelines, visit the flood information page at www.wvtax.gov.
Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelham...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5169.
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