Sunday marked the first day people could apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency aid in the three worst-hit counties.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s administration still believes there are people missing in Greenbrier County, and the death toll there rose by one Saturday, chief of staff Chris Stadelman said.

The focus is moving away from the dayslong, difficult search and rescue process, where residents were helped off roofs, out of attics, and shimmied down trees into rescue boats. Through that arduous process, bodies were sometimes found and the death toll continued to rise.

President Barack Obama’s signature on the federal disaster declaration lets residents in Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties get aid for temporary housing and home repairs, receive low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and qualify for other assistance for individuals and business owners. Federal money to help the state and local governments is also available on a cost-sharing basis. FEMA officials were in the state to begin assessing the damage to infrastructure, homes and other property.

After a pounding by storms and floods, basic necessities still aren’t up and running in some areas.

More than 24,000 homes and businesses remained without power Saturday evening. Water is still not running in the Clendenin area, and residents are filling up jugs of water at stations provided by West Virginia American Water.

Search and rescue teams went house to house, marking those checked with a spray-painted “X.” Abandoned pets were taken to a shelter. A water department filtration system, built with a $2.6 million loan, was damaged, said the mayor of the flood-hit town of Rainelle, Andrea “Andy” Pendleton..  Add Comments>>