WHEELING — As of Sunday evening, state and local officials reported five persons confirmed dead as a result of powerful rains and flooding on Saturday with at least three others believed missing.

Flood waters came quickly Saturday night, stranding some cars and sending others careening down creeks. They pulled homes from their foundations and destroyed them. Massive pieces of debris — cars, large metal storage containers, refrigerators and more — crashed into bridges, forcing their closure until their structural integrity can be assessed. Those waters engulfed roads in Woodsdale, Triadelphia and Valley Grove, stranding some and forcing rescues from roofs and trees.

Both the city of Wheeling and Ohio County have declared the region in a state of emergency.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey followed by declaring the area in a state of emergency in the city of Wheeling, and the towns of Triadelphia and Valley Grove. He visited the Ohio County Emergency Management Agency center at the City-County Building in Wheeling Sunday afternoon and was briefed by county and city officials.

The move makes it possible for state resources, such as the West Virginia National Guard, to be used for flood-related assistance.

“In a way, this was a very uniform event,” Morrisey said. “There was roughly three to four inches of water that fell on the area in less than an hour. That is very, very hard to deal with.”

The speed and volume of that rain led to the torrential flooding. Emergency workers scrambled throughout Saturday night and into Sunday morning to turn motorists away from danger areas and conduct rescues in the dark.

Morrisey commended those on the ground who worked to assist those in need.

“It makes a difference. We all have to come together as family during these times,” Morrisey continued.

As of 7 p.m. Sunday evening, 1,745 residents in Ohio County remained without power.

County Emergency Management Agency Director Lou Vargo and Wheeling Fire Chief Jim Blazier noted earlier in the day that it was difficult to know when the electrical lines might be repaired, as the power lines are close to gas lines that have also been disturbed and need repaired. Reestablishing power in these locations could cause an explosion, they explained..

Some major roadways remain closed in the area. Officials are requesting that people avoid these areas so search and rescue efforts can continue, and clean-up efforts are not impacted:

-US 40/National Road (Triadelphia to Valley Grove – Ohio County)

-WV 88/Bethany Pike (At Hamilton Ave) (City of Wheeling)

-Warden Run Road (City of Wheeling)

-Shilling Bridge (City of Wheeling)

-Junior Ave Bridge (City of Wheeling)

-Lumber Ave (City of Wheeling)

-GC&P Road (Wheeling & Ohio County)

-Middle Creek Road (Ohio County)

-Dixon Run Road (Ohio County)

-McGraw’s Run Road-Atkinson Crossing (Ohio County)

-Battle Run Road (Ohio County)

-Point Run Road (Ohio County)

-Peters Run Road (Ohio County)

Vargo and Blazier told the public to avoid these roads.

“We’re pleading to everyone to just stay away. It’s an active disaster area,” Vargo said.

Sight-seers could impede both first responders and utility workers in the area, he added.

An emergency shelter for those impacted has been set up at Elm Grove Elementary School, and remained opened Sunday afternoon. The Salvation Army was planning to open an overnight emergency shelter on Sunday night.

All affected by the flooding are encouraged to get tetanus shots if they have not done so in the last 10 years. These will be offered Monday at the command center in the Riesbeck’s Shopping Plaza in Elm Grove, and at the Ohio County Health Department in the City-County Building,1500 Chapline St., Wheeling.

Those wanting to volunteer or donate time should call 204-234-7019.

Those with flooding questions or wanting to report a missing person should call the Emergency Management Agency at 304-234-3756.

Vargo said flood clean up kits are on their way, and distribution locations will be announced.

Triadelphia Volunteer Fire Department Chief Dave Pattterson reported strong flood waters in Triadelphia forced the back wall of their fire station to blow out. A rescue truck was destroyed, and Patterson isn’t certain whether a second vehicle – an ambulance – can be saved. Both vehicles were dug out from under the debris, he explained.

All the while, the fire department continued to get emergency calls, Patterson said.

He was asked what the department’s next move will be to replace the truck and rebuild their station house.

“Insurance,” Patterson responded.

Brenda White was walking past one of the windows at the back of her home on Mink Avenue in Triadelphia on Saturday night when she called to her husband Greg to look at the swiftly rising creek waters. Wondering whether the water had started bubbling up from the sewers outside the front of her home, she looked out the front door to find that they hadn’t yet.

The Whites watched the creek behind the house a little longer, but when they checked back in the front, it was a much different scene. Mink Avenue had become a raging river, one that was carrying massive pieces of debris past the house – and was quickly rising toward their home’s foundation.

“Once it started coming up, it didn’t take long at all,” Brenda White said. “It was a river. It was awful.”

Adding to her stress was an inability for her and her husband to evacuate. The water flowed past both sides of the house.

The flood ultimately didn’t reach her home. It made it halfway up the skirting of the mobile home before receding. She remained without power Sunday afternoon, but was thankful her home was left without major damage and her cars didn’t float away.

In the aftermath, it was still hard for the lifelong Ohio County resident to wrap her head around what she saw.

“In all my 76 years, I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said. “Ever.”

Derek Redd contributed to this report.