Flood — Kanawha, West Virginia

2003-02-15 to 2003-02-17 · Kanawha, West Virginia

Wider weather episode

Rains from Friday afternoon, the 14th, into Sunday the 16th were on the order of 3.5 to 4.9 inches, with the maximum over Wayne and Lincoln Counties. Small streams flooded onto roads Saturday evening, the 15th, into early Sunday, the 16th. Major flooding occurred along the Twelvepole Creek in Wayne County including Dunlow, Wayne, and Lavalette. Evacuations occurred along Falls Creek near West Hamlin. The larger rivers, including the Guyandotte, the Mud, the Coal, the Tug Fork, and the lower Elk flooded. Major flooding occurred along the lower portion of the Guyandotte Basin, including the Mud River in Lincoln and Cabell Counties. Communities such as Branchland, West Hamlin, Hamlin and Milton were flooded. The crest at Branchland was 36.7 feet on the Guyandotte River around 0400E on the 17th. Flood stage is 30 feet. Water levels have not been higher at Branchland since a 38 foot crest back in June of 1979. The Tug Fork crested at Kermit around 0400E on the 17th at 46.3 feet. Flood stage is 38 feet. The last time the Tug Fork was higher at Kermit was May of 1984, when 49 feet was reached. The Coal and lower Elk River saw only minor flooding. Preliminary damage assessments indicated on the order of 20 to 30 single family homes and 7 businesses with major damage. About 15 mobile homes were destroyed. On the order of 30 vehicles were flooded in Lincoln County. In Hamlin, one husband and wife were all set to move to a new home. Their possessions were packed and stacked in the yard awaiting a moving van. Then the flood hit. The wife said, "It went down the river, I guess". One business owner in Hamlin commented about the high water, "If you live by it, you got to live with it". A 45 year old woman drowned in her vehicle, after driving into high water from the Mud River in Lincoln County near the Cabell County line. Her vehicle was swept into the river, overturned and sank. That incident took place around 1000E on the 16th. A 19 year old man drowned in the Coal River near Tornado, during the late night hours, early on Monday the 17th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5342022. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.