Fallen trees, outages and flooding

Huntington, W.Va. – Cleanup efforts are underway throughout Huntington. Thousands were still in the dark Friday evening as the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Helene moved through Cabell County. Strong winds knocked down trees and power lines. Ritter Park was one of the hardest hit areas in the county.

Traffic lights and electricity were out at major intersections, restaurants couldn't cook and gas stations couldn't pump gas. A supermarket on Hal Greer Blvd. helped customers with flashlight.

Six-year-old Eli said he called 911 after a large tree fell on a neighbor's car on 15th Street. He said he felt safer when firefighters arrived.

“I protected my mother from the storm and the house,” said Eli, of Huntington.

Homeowners said they heard the wind coming but never imagined Helene would cause so much damage in the mountain state.

“I knew it was serious, but I definitely didn't think something like this would happen on our street,” said Diana Starkweather, a Huntington homeowner.

A city spokesman said the Huntington Fire Department had responded to two calls for vehicles in flood waters as of Friday afternoon.

“We tell people all the time to turn around and not drown. We tell them and we tell them, and when they drive in the water, they endanger first responders, they endanger themselves,” said Gordon Merry, director of Cabell EMS.

Merry said no injuries were reported across Cabell County.