MECCA 911 director assesses June flood damage

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Several parts of Monongalia County are still recovering from the flash floods of June 2021.

During Monongalia County Commission’s regular meeting Wednesday, the Monongalia Emergency Centralized Communications Agency (MECCA 911), gave an update on some of the damage that was received around the county during the June 10-14 rainstorms that lead to severe flash flooding cross North Central West Virginia. Fortunately, according to MECCA 911 officials, damage was prevalent but not as severe as some videos seen could’ve implied.

“For having that amount of rain, our damage was not very extensive in that area,” said MECCA 911 Director Jimmy Smith on the flood damage as a whole.

According to Smith, damage was seen in several parts of the county, with the Morgantown Area receiving a brunt of the property damage. This included a necessary road repair in Morgantown, several fallen down trees, with some even going into homes, and of course severe flooding that affected homes and a basements across the area, all totaling around $375,000 in damage. The rainfall itself, which was originally tallied by the National Weather Service at approximately two inches of rain, was considered significantly more when the final calculations were made.

“We’ve now discovered several residents and private rain gauges throughout the Morgantown Area, and in that Suncrest Area, that Patteson Drive and University Avenue Area, we’re seeing reports now of up to five inches of rain fell in that area,” he said.

The other area that was greatly affected by the flooding was the Monongalia County Trail, where according to Smith, several trails that were already affected by storms in the late spring, got another dose of severe storms. By the time the most recent storms ended, seven different parts of the trail system were severely affected leading up to over $10,000 worth of damage. Despite that, it appears that most of the trail slippage and other flood related damages should be sorted by the end of the month.

“We’re looking at probably having the work done on Decker’s, I’m hoping by the end of Friday this week,” said Mon River Trails Conservancy Executive Director Ella Belling on some of the work being done.

Despite the costly damage, Smith advised the commissioners as well as those watching the meeting, that emergency funding courtesy of FEMA is more than likely not going to be happening. According to Smith, the threshold for the State of West Virginia to receive a FEMA classification for State of Emergency is approximately $2.8 million, with Monongalia County accounting for no more than $375,000 in damage from the floods. So in the meantime, those who are need of assistance are directed to call MECCA 911 for further instructions.

“Those individuals that need to report, we do ask that they contact MECCA, and that they contact our non-emergency number for that,” he said.