WV and National Disaster News - August 17, 2022

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WEST VIRGINIA
 
COVID
WV Daily COVID Update & Stats for August 17, 2022 (WV DHHR) – There are currently 2,731 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There have been 17 deaths reported since the last report yesterday, with a total of 7,223 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
 
DHHR has confirmed the deaths of an 89-year old male from Putnam County, a 76-year old female from Putnam County, ​an 87-year old female from Kanawha County, a 97-year old female from Ohio County, a 92-year old male from Kanawha County, an 80-year old male from Berkeley County, a 74-year old female from Raleigh County, an 86-year old female from Wetzel County, a 74-year old male from Clay County, a 76-year old female from Ohio County, a 64-year old female from Barbour County, a 73-year old female from Raleigh County, an 87-year old male from Harrison County, a 71-year old male from Marshall County, a 95-year old male from Ohio County, a 73-year old male from Wood County, and an 88-year old male from Kanawha County.
 
 
WEATHER – FLOOD RESPONSE & RECOVERY

• Damage assessment key in seeking assistance for flood victims  (MetroNews-Radio)
• Resources being sought for those impacted by recent flooding  (Williamson Daily News)
• Kanawha County Commission releases emergency action plan for the county's flood recovery  (WCHS Charleston)
• Kanawha-Charleston Health Department giving free tetanus shots for local flood workers  (WOWK Huntington)
• State Repairing Bridges, Culverts Damaged By Heavy Rainfall  (West Virginia Public Broadcasting-Radio)
• DOH working to get roads back open in flood zone  (MetroNews-Radio)
• Debris collection set for flooded areas of West Virginia  (The Associated Press)
• Preparations begin for curbside flood debris pick up in Kanawha County  (MetroNews-Radio)
• Kanawha County flood debris collection to begin  (WSAZ Huntington)
• Campbells Creek, West Virginia residents begin clean-up process after flooding  (WOWK Charleston)
• Flood relief site opens in Smithers, West Virginia  (WOWK Huntington)
• 'Everything is gone now': Smithers residents begin recovery after devastating flood (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• Homeowners begin cleaning after flood waters race throughout Fayette County  (WVNS Lewsiburg)
• 'We're completely cut off,' resident says day after floods hit Eastern Kanawha County  (WCHS-Charleston)
• Mountain runoff isolates Gauley Bridge community  (MetroNews-Radio)
• Greenbrier Street in Charleston still underwater from flooding  (WOWK Huntington)
• VIDEO: State of emergency declared in West Virginia for flash flooding  (ABC News)
• Division of Highways to repair culvert on Arlington Boulevard (The Herald-Dispatch)
• More storms forecast for flooded areas of West Virginia  (The New Haven, Conn., Register Citizen)

OTHER

• VIDEO: Medical examiner called to I-79 truck fire in Marion County (WBOY-TV)

NATIONAL NEWS

COVID

• Schools using government funding to install new ventilation for Covid-19 (NBC News)
• First lady Dr. Jill Biden tests positive for Covid-19 (CNN)
• Biden administration will stop buying Covid-19 vaccines, treatments and tests as early as this fall, Jha says (CNN)
• Novavax seeks FDA approval for COVID booster (ABC News)

FLOOD INSURANCE

• Flood insurance hikes may drive many from the market (Insurance NewsNet)
• Most states fail to require home flood disclosure (Yahoo News)
• Hundreds of thousands drop flood insurance as rates rise (E&E News)

• Inside the 100-day U.S. struggle to stop monkeypox (Washington Post)
• Dr. Agus on pediatric monkeypox (CBS News)
• Sole producer of approved monkeypox shot "no longer certain" it can meet demand (Axios)
• Jonathan Van Ness says 'botched' monkeypox response 'fueled by homophobia and transphobia' (USA Today)

• Where recovery efforts stand nearly three weeks after devastating Kentucky flooding (AccuWeather Video)
• 'Sunny day' flooding has already doubled for some coastal cities and more is on the way (Fox Weather)
• Forest fires are burning twice the amount of tree cover they did just 20 years ago (Fast Company)
• Some say LUMA is not ready for hurricane season in Puerto Rico (WAPA-TV – Spanish)
• Leaving the island: The messy, contentious reality of climate relocation (The Center for Public Integrity) – article looks at the first federally funded effort to move an entire community because of climate change.

 
OTHER

• ​Former FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor Discusses Building a More Resilient Nation (Homeland Security Today)

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