Flood — Marshall, West Virginia

1996-01-19 to 1996-01-22 · Marshall, West Virginia

Wider weather episode

Flooding from the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers met nearly simultaneously at the Point in Pittsburgh. The flood waters then flowed down the Ohio River. Widespread one to two inch rains, plus runoff from snowmelt in the West Virginia and Maryland mountains, combined to create major flooding along the Ohio River. The Ohio River went above flood stage at East Liverpool, Ohio around 10 pm EST on the 19th. The river crested 10.8 feet above the 14 foot flood stage at East Liverpool. Subsequent rises downstream on the Ohio River were not as pronounced, (5.4 feet above flood stage at Hannibal, Ohio). Nonetheless, damages due to flooding to cities, industry, bridges, and communities, along the Ohio River, were enormous.In Brooke County, 1 home was destroyed, 35 major damage, 214 minor damage. In Hancock County, 54 homes were destroyed, 6 major damage. In Ohio County, 26 homes were destroyed, 1573 minor damage, 100 minimally affected. In Marshall County 116 homes major damage, 234 minor damage. In Wetzel County, 275 minor damage.In addition, hundreds of businesses, numerous schools, and a few businesses and water treatment plants were also damaged in the West Virginia Panhandle. In Ohio County, over $100,000 in damages were sustained to a greyhound track and to recently renovated facilities on Wheeling Island. Nine-hundred greyhounds were evacuated from their kennels. Parts of the business were under 7 and one-half feet of water.In Brooke County, the entire downtown business district in Wellsburg was flooded.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5544502. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.