West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey deployed the National Guard Thursday to assist rescue and recovery efforts after torrential rain caused widespread flash flooding.
The deployment follows a catastrophic weather event that inundated homes and businesses across the state. The scale of the flooding has disrupted critical infrastructure and endangered residents in every region of the state.
Torrential rain dropped up to seven inches [1] during Tuesday night and Wednesday, July 22-23, 2026 [2]. The resulting flash floods washed out bridges and flooded residential, and commercial properties.
Governor Patrick Morrisey (R-WV) declared a state of emergency for all 55 counties [3]. The order allows for the mobilization of state resources to manage the crisis and provide immediate relief to affected communities.
"We are deploying the National Guard to protect lives and property," Morrisey said.
National Guard personnel are currently conducting rescues and assessing damage to roads and bridges. The mobilization focuses on reaching isolated areas where floodwaters have cut off primary transportation routes.
Emergency crews continue to monitor water levels as they work to clear debris from inundated neighborhoods. Local authorities have urged residents to avoid travel in affected areas while recovery operations remain underway.
“"We are deploying the National Guard to protect lives and property,"”
The declaration of a state of emergency across every county in West Virginia indicates a systemic failure of local infrastructure to handle extreme precipitation. By mobilizing the National Guard, the state is shifting from local emergency response to a military-supported recovery operation to address the widespread loss of bridges and road access.
