Severe flooding along the New River and other waterways has caused residents to evacuate across Virginia in Washington, Wythe, Russell County, Pulaski, Giles, Montgomery, and Augusta Counties, according to a statement Saturday from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
At this time, officials don’t have an estimate of the number of people who have evacuated, or structures that have been damaged due to flooding.
Many of the affected communities are located near the New River, which has its headwaters in North Carolina. In Radford, the New River reached a level of 31 feet Saturday morning, which was about four feet higher than originally predicted. Record level is 36 feet, during a flood in 1940. A local animal shelter in Radford evacuated nearly 70 animals Friday.
Close to Radford, residents in the small communities of Allisonia, Parrott and Hiwassee were rescued Friday and Saturday by swift water rescue crews and local responders. These communities are also located along the New River.
With more rain predicted in the next few days, water levels in this area may not go down until Monday, according to a statement Saturday from Pulaski County. Many roads remain closed and impassable due to high waters.
The community in Virginia most impacted by flooding due to tropical storm Helene is the town of Damascus, in Washington County, according to VDEM.
“The entire town of Damascus Virginia and surrounding areas are affected,” Theresa D. Kingsley-Varble, Emergency Management Coordinator with the county, said Friday.
Damascus, a town of about 800 people, has spent the past couple decades investing in marketing itself as a trail town, with its proximity to the Virginia Creeper Trail and the Appalachian Trail making it a favorite destination for outdoor tourists. Flooding occurred when water levels in Laurel Creek rose quickly on Friday.
Tornadoes were also reported across Virginia Friday, and the National Weather Service has confirmed that one tornado touched down Friday in Pittsylvania County. A spokesperson with VDEM said they are still assessing the damage from this and other storms across the region.
