US region left reeling as floods bring casualties and destruction: 'Gone too soon'

Rescue and recovery efforts have been underway after the devastating effects of recent flash flooding that prompted West Virginia to declare a state of emergency in the face of several casualties and imminent disaster.

What's happening?

According to ABC News, the flooding began in mid-June in northern West Virginia — targeting Ohio County and Marion County, to be specific — and continued to leave the state under flooding threat close to two weeks later. The floods collapsed entire buildings, knocked out power for thousands, and resulted in nine casualties, per the most recent New York Times reports.

"He was gone too soon," one survivor described of their younger brother, lost to the flooding. "I'm the older sibling. They were supposed to bury me first, not the other way around."

Why is flooding concerning?

This recent tragedy is just the latest in a long trend of extreme weather events turned even more extreme, supercharged as they are by human-induced climate change. While our rising global temperatures aren't directly at fault for floods, storms, and other such phenomena, they definitely add fuel to the fire, making these events deadlier and more volatile.

Carbon pollution is the leading source of our warmer climate, these days, so addressing its damage in the long run is the only way to ensure we keep ourselves safe from intensified weather events such as this latest West Virginia flooding.

What's being done about West Virginia's flash flooding?

Now that the government has declared a state of emergency for West Virginia, businesses and volunteer organizations alike are stepping up to provide emergency supplies to those affected by the flooding. 

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To really put a dent in the climate problem, however, we need to collectively make an effort to cut down on pollution — whether that be through small changes, like switching to public transit or upgrading to electrical appliances, or through larger initiatives and climate projects. 

Meanwhile, if you're worried about flooding or other natural disasters in your area, you can take steps to make your home more secure and resilient to weather events, such as by commissioning flood or wildfire barriers or installing a solar panel and battery system to keep your power running in even the more dire situations.