Gov. Youngkin visits Southwest Virginia to assess damage from Helene

Gov. Glenn Youngkin visited Southwest Virginia Saturday to assess damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.

Southwest Virginia was the hardest-hit part of the state, as Helene churned up the Eastern Seaboard from Florida before making a left turn toward Tennessee and Kentucky.

“We are heartbroken for all Virginians and Americans who have suffered in the wake of Hurricane Helene. We’re incredibly proud of our brave first responders from around the Commonwealth who have saved countless lives, and we are deeply grateful to those working tirelessly to restore electricity, communication, and food supplies,” said Youngkin, who had declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm on Wednesday, allowing for the deployment of assets to needed areas, with a concentration on getting resources into Southwest Virginia.

The Virginia National Guard staged 20 soldiers with tactical trucks capable of high mobility transportation in the Abingdon area, and staged two Black Hawk helicopters with rescue hoist capabilities in the Roanoke area.

One crew conducted separate two-person water rescues east of Damascus, and a second crew conducted a rescue operation of individuals in the vicinity of Chestnut Mountain.

The rescue that made national headlines involved two Virginia State Police helicopters that helped retrieve patients and staff from the Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tenn.

Those were among the more than 70 rescue operations conducted on Friday, all told.

Another aspect that needs to be highlighted – Virginia Department of Forestry crews cleared debris that opened 237 miles of roadway.

At this writing, at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, there are 158,016 households in Virginia without power, the bulk of those in Southwest Virginia.

The outage map shows almost the entirety of the counties of Bland, Carroll, Craig, Galax, Grayson, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell and Washington in the dark.

Youngkin indicated on Saturday that the state has started the damage assessment process necessary to request a federal disaster relief declaration, “and I will immediately make that request once this work is completed,” the governor said.

“The grit, courage, and perseverance of Southwest Virginians will guide us through this difficult time,” Youngkin said. “There’s a lot of work ahead, but together, I know Southwest Virginia will rebuild stronger than ever. May God continue to be with everyone affected, and may we continue to uplift and support one another in this time of need.”

Resources

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• For tips on recovering from a disaster, visit: www.ready.gov/recovering-disaster.
• Additional information on the damage assessment process can be found at: www.fema.gov/disaster/how-declared.
• For roadways, the public should report any concerns such as flooding, downed trees or road hazards to VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).
• For those who need help with cleanup/debris management you can contact the cleanup hotline for Hurricane Helene at 1-844-965-1386.
• Information on FEMA’s public assistance can be found at www.fema.gov/assistance/public.
• Contact your local emergency management office for details on local sheltering operations and supply needs at: lemd.vdem.virginia.gov/Public.