Toddler swept away amid dangerous flash floods in West Virginia

JACKSON COUNTY, W. Va. – A young boy was swept away by the powerful flood waters that tore through Jackson County, West Virginia, amid heavy rainfall Thursday.

Search parties used row boats to navigate the inundated streets as they looked for the toddler, believed to be between 2 and 4 years old, according to ABC News.

The boy was playing along Utah Road when the fast-moving water swept him away around 4:25 p.m., according to the director of 911 and emergency management, Walter Smittle. Several fire departments combed the water for the child until it became too dark to continue. The search will resume in the morning, according to officials.

In a separate incident in Wheeling, West Virginia, an 8-year-old boy died after he slipped into the rushing flood waters while walking with his sister. His body was found roughly three hours later; he was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

The dangerous weather prompted Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin to issue a state of emergency for 44 counties amid flash flood warnings and the threat of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.

Powerful video taken in White Sulphur Springs shows a house completely engulfed by flames, floating down Howard Creek: