GALLIPOLIS, Ohio — Heavy rain beginning in the early morning hours on Thursday and continuing throughout the weekend caused widespread flash flooding across Gallia and Meigs counties in Ohio and Mason County in West Virginia, forcing emergency crews to conduct multiple water rescues and evacuate residents from flooded homes.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for the three counties as torrential downpours saturated the region.
Rain gauge measurements in Mason and Gallia counties recorded anywhere from 3 to nearly 7 inches of rainfall.
Local dispatchers in Gallia County reported that emergency crews performed several water rescues for motorists whose vehicles became trapped in rising water.
State Route 160, State Route 554 and Bulaville Pike were among the hardest-hit roadways in the county.
Mill Creek Road was one of several that sustained significant structural damage after high-water washed-out portions of the roadway.
The Mason County Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management reported active water rescues across its jurisdiction as well, citing high water throughout the county.
Officials cautioned that although floodwaters were beginning to recede in some locations, significant hazards remained due to fallen trees, downed power lines and washed-out roads.
Law enforcement agencies and emergency officials across the region urged drivers to exercise extreme caution and obey high-water warnings.
The Gallia County Sheriff’s Office reminded residents that what appears to be a few inches of water can mask severe damage underneath or quickly sweep a vehicle away.
Authorities repeated the critical safety standard for all drivers encountering flooded roadways: Turn around, don’t drown.
Drenching rains and persistent flooding throughout the weekend kept local emergency crews on high alert while forcing widespread road closures. Initial downpours that inundated the region late last week expanded into prolonged hazards as streams overflowed and low-lying areas remained underwater.
The National Weather Service in Charleston issued a flood watch early Saturday morning, highlighting the risk of ongoing flooding from excessive rainfall. By Saturday afternoon, radar tracked a cluster of strong thunderstorms moving northeast near Rio Grande at 30 mph.
The severe storms swept across a wide stretch of communities, including Point Pleasant, Gallipolis, Pomeroy, Rio Grande, Racine, Rutland, New Haven, Mason, Middleport, Syracuse, Hartford City, Henderson, Cheshire, Adamsville, Lakin, Letart and Kyger. The storms also resulted in power outages in Meigs County.
Rising waters continued to disrupt travel, leaving multiple roadways impassable. Officials urged drivers to avoid flooded streets and monitor updates as conditions gradually stabilized.
