West Virginia Division of Highways cleanup crews have been working around the clock to clean up debris and plan repairs to roads damaged by flash flooding near the communities of Warriormine and Berwind in McDowell County.
“Crews have been out since the storm started, working overnight and into today, and our engineers are on the ground to begin the assessment process to repair the roads,” said Joe Pack, P.E., WVDOH Chief of District Operations.
Heavy rains on the evening of Tuesday, July 12, 2022, created localized flash flooding in the areas of War, Warriormine, and Berwind. Flash floods washed out road shoulders and undermined parts of traffic lanes on Warriormine Road, War Creek Road, Shop Branch Road, Berwind Road, and a few others.
Floodwaters also washed out a culvert beneath Warriormine Road and a privately owned bridge.
“Our goal is to make repairs as quickly as possible,” Pack said.
Warriormine Road is currently unpassable at the site of the washed-out culvert. Local residents may use Berwind Mountain Road as a detour once water levels go down.
The WVDOH will replace the washed-out culvert and repair the roads after engineers assess the extent of the damage.