"Areas in central and southeastern Virginia received as much as 12 inches of rain over the weekend, and many Virginians have seen their homes and property damaged," Kaine said. "State emergency response agencies will continue to do everything possible to help those who have been impacted. We will also continue working with local governments to assist in their response and recovery efforts."
The state aid to local governments has included providing hazardous materials personnel and equipment from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) to the city of Franklin to help contain a gasoline spill. Flood damage has caused leaks from tanks that hold 11,000 gallons of gasoline at a petroleum depot, and the leaked gasoline has mixed with flood waters from the Blackwater River. Special foam is being sprayed on the gasoline to prevent ignition and booms are being erected on the surface of the flood water to contain the gasoline until it can be removed.
Across the commonwealth, VDEM will work with local governments to assess damage in areas affected by the severe weather. Initial damage estimates will be shared as soon as they are available. In many cases, damage estimates will not be possible for a period of days until flood waters have receded.
As of this afternoon, the Virginia Department of Transportation reported that 119 roads were closed statewide due to flooding. Additional road closures and localized flooding are possible as river and stream levels continue to rise from flood waters moving downstream.
