State of Emergency declared in Mercer County due to storm damage from Tropical Storm Helene

MERCER COUNTY, WV (WVNS) — A State of Emergency was declared for Mercer County by Governor Justice due to damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene.

According to a press release, the declaration of a State of Emergency for Mercer County will help the West Virginia Emergency Management Division carry out the Emergency Operations Plan, which will help gather resources, personnel, and necessary emergency services.

We’re still learning about reports of serious damage throughout Mercer County, and the estimates are adding up quickly. I’m told there’s a sizable portion of the county still without power, and there were so many downed trees that it’s been difficult to get the full scope of what’s happened.

This State of Emergency will allow us to speed up the response on the ground and potentially receive federal assistance as we push forward with recovery efforts.

This storm is one that we’ll remember in Appalachia for a long, long time. We’ve seen some really troubling images from our neighboring states, but there’s no question that Helene has left its mark here at home, as well.

We’ll continue to pull the rope together and take care of each other, because that’s what we do in West Virginia.

Governor Justice

Hurricane Helene was a Category 4 hurricane when it made landfall the Big Bend area of Florida, leaving behind large amounts of rain in states in the southeastern United States, which included Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

The press release from Governor Justice stated that the State of Emergency will last 30 days unless it is ended by a following announcement.

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