EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO C L I C K T O P L A Y
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
President Barack Obama has issued an emergency declaration for West Virginia following violent storms that have left more than 680,000 people without electricity.
The emergency declaration issued Saturday afternoon will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide help and coordinate relief efforts.
The declaration follows Governor Tomblin's declaration of a state of emergency.
Tomblin says the outages affect 53 of the state's 55 counties, and is the worst in recent history. Tomblin also said during a press conference Saturday afternoon that the National Guard is working hard to help clear roadways, deliver food and water and provide other help; but the problem is not going to be solved overnight. Tomblin warns it could take days, weeks or even months before the damage is completely cleaned up.
Governor Tomblin is also asking West Virginians to help out their neighbors. He is asking people to check on the elderly and others who might need help.
Cooling shelters have also been set up around the state.
Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for the latest information on the storm and damage cleanup.
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Mamie Buoy
