Artie Man Recalls Flood

Timmy Shea has woeful memories of the last time Artie flooded.
It was June 1, 1997. Due to the flooding that overtook the hollow where he lives, Shea's wife, Susan, died.
Although he was fortunate not to lose loved ones during the latest flooding that wreaked havoc on parts of southern West Virginia, Shea, who has lived in Artie all his life, said he has never seen water do the kind of damage it did early Sunday.
"This is mass destruction," he said. "Pictures don't do it justice. When you see it, you just sit back and say, 'How can water do this?'"
The garage on Shea's brother's house is now a leveled structure that has drop-ped on top of itself.
It is not alone.
Shea said that all along the valley homes have been ripped off their foundations and torn apart by raging water.
"It's like that all through this area."
The house where Shea now lives is on higher ground, and he escaped with minor property damage. He was there when the hard rains came.
"I've never seen water fall like that. You could actually watch the creek rise."
In the aftermath, Shea said, rubble and debris are scattered and strewn all across the Clear Creek Valley.
"I followed the creek south, and I saw the damage that the flood has done. It's awful."
Not only are homes destroyed, but the main thoroughfares coming in and out of the area are almost impassable. Creeks now run parallel to what's left of the roads and byways.
"I just don't think this place could take it. The streams couldn't take that massive run-off and the pounding rain."
Shea does take some solace in the fact that at least people were aware enough of the rain to know to leave their homes.
"If we couldn't have seen this coming, I don't what know would have happened.
"I think a lot of people would have died."
According to Shea, the residents still living in the valley think massive flooding could happen again.
"People are angry; they are living in fear. My brother said he would never build there again. He says he wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I think that's how a lot of us feel."