Flash flooding kills 6 in West Virginia, rescue teams searching for missing people

Flash flooding caused by torrential rains killed five people in northern West Virginia and rescue crews were searching for three other people.

Flash flooding caused by torrential rains killed six people, including a 3-year-old child, in northern West Virginia on Sunday, as rescue crews resumed their search Monday morning for three others who remain missing.

The Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency confirmed the sixth death on Monday. According to the National Weather Service, a flood watch remains in effect through the evening as heavy rainfall is expected to continue throughout the day.

Officials said 2.5 to 4 inches of rain fell in parts of Wheeling and Ohio County within about half an hour on Saturday night.

"We almost immediately started getting 911 calls for rescue of people being trapped," Lou Vargo, Ohio County's emergency management director, said at a news conference Sunday. "During this time, we had major infrastructure damage to roads, bridges, and highways where we couldn't respond to a lot of incidents. So we were delayed in getting there because there was just so much damage."

Vargo added: "It happened so quickly and so fast. … I've been doing this for 35 years. I've seen major floods here in the city and the county. I've never seen anything like this."