OAKWOOD, Va. – Buchanan County residents are rebuilding after flash floods destroyed more than 100 homes.
With trees down, broken roads, crushed cars, and a muddy mess – Olivia Wilson, a New Life Fellowship Pastor, said Buchanan County families are struggling.
“People come and say my house was totally destroyed,” Olivia said. “Another young man said he drove all night to get to relatives. By the time we got to them, my dad carried out my sister and the water was up to his neck.”
But restoration is on its way: In addition to the crews that have stepped up to begin the clean-up process, forty volunteers from God’s Pit Crew arrived Monday at New Life Fellowship to set up camp and assess the damage.
“This is pretty much everything along the river,” Chris Chiles, God’s Pit Crew Immediate Disaster Response Coordinator said. “All the homes are either knocked off the foundation or have had water in them. Churches have been filled with flood water. It’s bad.”
With equipment ready to be moved, downed power lines and damaged roads are creating challenges for the crews.
“To view the area that was affected,” Jerry Wilson, a New Life Fellowship Pastor said. “It’s just almost mind-boggling to view how the water could ever get that high.”
But as Chiles makes note of each home, Olivia said the community will bounce back.
“There’s resilience,” Olivia said. “That’s the word that comes to mind.”
The organization said that volunteers will stay at the church for about two weeks.