Residents cleaning up after flooding hits the Bluewell community
May 21—BLUEWELL — Residents were cleaning up their properties Monday after a weekend storm that nearly mimicked the one which hit Bluefield last year drenched them with 3 to 4 inches of rain within three hours.
Director Keith Gunnoe with the Mercer County Office of Emergency Management said he spoke Monday with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va. about the rainstorm that hit Bluewell and part of nearby Lorton Lick Road on Saturday evening.
According to the weather service's radar, the storm started about 6 p.m. Saturday and continued until around 9 p.m. During that time, between 3 to 4 inches fell on Bluewell's section of Route 52 and around the first mile of Lorton Lick Road, Gunnoe said. Which homes and businesses had flood damage was sporadic.
The storm was very sporadic and very short in duration with a high-intensity rainfall rate, he said.
"This was a very close mimic to the storm we had on Memorial Day last year," Gunnoe said. "It was not Bluefield this time. It was Bluewell and Lorton Lick Road."
Torrential rains stranded some people in their homes and others that tried to drive during the storm only to see their vehicles flooded and stalled. The Bluewell Volunteer Fire Department, Montcalm Fire Department and Bramwell Volunteer Fire Department conducted rescue operations along with the Princeton Rescue Squad and West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, Gunnoe said.
No injuries were reported.
"All agencies worked flawlessly together for the greater good of the community," Gunnoe said.
Gunnoe said the Mercer County Emergency Management office has flood clean up supplies to assist with your in home clean up. The office can be contacted at 304-487-8448 and the office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The American Red Cross was coming Monday to the Bluewell area to do damage assessments and provide cleanup equipment. Gunnoe said he was providing the agency with the addresses of people in need.
Businesses near the intersection of Route 52 and Route 20 were undergoing cleanups Monday afternoon. The cloud burst was something longtime residents had never seen in Bluewell before Saturday.
"You couldn't see the highway," Bluewell resident Morgan Hall said after he put an office's rugs out to dry. "It was like a river."
Property manager Robin Mays led the way into an empty storefront which got soaked. A musty odor dueled with the fresh air outside.
"You can smell it," she said. "All of this carpet has been soaked."
Mays and Hall both said much of the floodwater came off of the mountain behind the building.
"It was like a river," Mays said, adding that she had never seen such a flood since she became manager 10 years ago.
The floodwaters also reached the floor of The Athlete's Closet, another Bluewell business along Route 52.
"Yes, we had a mess, but we got it cleaned up by the grace of God," said employee Annetta McPeak. "We've had some (water) before, but never like this."
A neighboring store, Spookables, had water as well. Owner Jason Scott was working to salvage action figures and other merchandise that was on the floor when the flood hit. Merchandise that was up on shelves and racks were not damaged.
"It could have been a lot worse," he said "A lot of these people lost their homes and everything."
Across Route 52, work was underway to clear up flood damage at The Heritage Apartments. Owner Maranda Bolin pointed out a line the flood left on the building.
"It was about a foot of water," she said. "We've had to redo all of the apartments. We've been here since midnight Saturday."
The work was going well, Bolin said. In 20 years, she had never seen a flood like the one that hit the community Saturday.
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
