Publication Date July 1, 2016 | USA Today

A week after historic floods, West Virginia faces new reality

United States
Lt. Dennis Feazell, of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, rows his boat as he and a co-worker search flooded homes in Rainelle, W. Va. on June 25, 2016. About 32,000 West Virginia homes and businesses remain without power Saturday after severe flooding hit the state. The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management also said that more than 60 secondary roads in the state were closed. Photo: Steve Helber, AP
Lt. Dennis Feazell, of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, rows his boat as he and a co-worker search flooded homes in Rainelle, W. Va. on June 25, 2016. About 32,000 West Virginia homes and businesses remain without power Saturday after severe flooding hit the state. The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management also said that more than 60 secondary roads in the state were closed. Photo: Steve Helber, AP

The flooding was especially deadly due to a phenomenon meteorologists call 'training' because the thunderstorms line up over the same location like the cars of a freight train.The onslaught of water ripped through roads and bridges while also knocking out utilities.

Many residents are now cautiously returning to their homes in parts of the state to salvage whatever belongings they can find. For some, there was very little to return to after flood waters and ensuing fires engulfed several homes