(RICHMOND, Va.) — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Thursday night as torrential rainfall and flooding impacted Southwest Virginia.
Heavy rainfall in parts of Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky slammed the region overnight, causing evacuations, damage roadways and people’s homes and even deaths.
“With more rainfall forecasted over the next few days, we want to lean forward in providing as many resources possible to assist those affected,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Our team will continue to monitor the situation and provide assistance as needed.”
In Kentucky, at least eight people have been killed “in one of the worst, most devastating” floods in the state’s history, Gov. Andy Beshear said.
Beshear has also asked the federal government for assistance as it deals with floods.
“The damage suffered is enormous and recovery will be a long-term effort. This assistance is critical to our efforts and essential for our people,” Beshear tweeted.
Through a state of emergency, Virginia can better assemble resources and send officials with equipment to aid in response and recovery efforts.
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