At least 24 dead in West Virginia floods

President Obama on Saturday declared recent flooding in West Virginia  a “major disaster” and ordered federal aid to supplement local recovery efforts in the hardest hit areas of the state, where the death toll has risen to at least 24 people.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said in a statement that the flooding is “among the worst in a century for some parts of the state.”

“We understand many counties continue to experience significant problems and some waters continue to rise,” he said. “I appreciate the tireless efforts of first responders across the state, many of whom have volunteered to travel long distances to help those in the most affected areas.”

Initial floods on Thursday hit eight counties, when up to 10 inches of rain fell on Thursday.

The high waters washed out roads, leaving more than 60 closed, and destroyed more than 100 houses. As of Saturday morning, more than 32,000 homes were still without power.

Flooding continued through the weekend, specifically in the town of Clendenin in Kanawha County, where residents told local news station WSAZ that the entire town seemed to be underwater.

Gov. Tomblin made an expedited request on Saturday morning to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for individual assistance, which helps residents and families facing housing emergencies and in need of crisis counseling. He has also called for 300 additional National Guard members to join the 200 already deployed.

Emergency crews take out boats on a flooded I-79 in Kanawha County, West Virginia, June 24, 2016. West Virginia Department of Transportation/Handout via Reuters

The governor said search and rescue crews are looking for people trapped in flooded houses and cars around the state. The storms have claimed at least 15 lives in Greenbrier County, one of the hardest-hit counties.

Chris Stadelman, Tomblin’s chief of staff, worries the death toll will continue to rise.

“The reports we got this morning are that Greenbrier County may still have some folks unaccounted for. It does not appear there are unaccounted for people in other counties, but it’s still a somewhat fluid situation,” he told the Associated Press.

The flood is the third-deadliest in West Virginia history, according to state climatologist Kevin Law, exceeded only by a dam break in 1972 that left 125 dead and a 1985 flood that swept through the state in the aftermath of Hurricane Juan.