TIDE IS HIGH — Charles Street in Wellsburg, near the city’s water treatment facility, was flooded with water and closed to traffic, Thursday. -- Christopher Dacanay

A severe storm that made its way across the Ohio Valley this week resulted in flood events on both sides of the Ohio River as water levels reached their peak and invaded communities.

The high was water was evident in Wellsburg Thursday, where a flood warning has been issued by the National Weather Service until Friday night. A state of emergency was issued for the city Thursday by the Brooke County Emergency Management Agency, with a similar declaration from W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice including all four Northern Panhandle counties.

All non-residents were asked to stay out of the city as large swaths of its streets were closed to traffic due to water pooled in low-lying areas of the city’s southern end.

Around 2 p.m. Thursday, Brooke County officials were waiting for water levels to crest, or reach their highest peak before receding. Brooke County Sheriff Rich Beatty said levels were expected to hit their highest within a matter of hours, according to the county’s emergency management director.

The county courthouse closed early as water began to flow into the building’s ground floor. Pools of water in low-lying areas turned homes and vehicles into islands, while basements filled with water.

SHUT DOWN — Emergency officials closed down sections of state Route 2 in New Cumberland early Thursday as waters crept over the roadway. County officials also closed the Hancock County Courthouse for Thursday and today as a result of the flooding. -- Craig Howell

Among affected residents were Jim and Marsha Allen, whose Charles Street residence in one of the lowest lying parts of the city was surrounded with water at least 2 feet deep on all sides, according to their estimate. The Allens’ home had survived previous major flood events, including the one in 2005 that took out their neighboring home, leaving their own home as the last one on the block.

On Thursday afternoon, the two had already moved their belongings out of the basement, leaving only the furnace, and Jim Allen had trudged his way through the water to move their truck to higher ground.

“I just hope my home holds up this time,” Marsha Allen yelled from across the pool of water.

By 4 p.m., water levels in New Cumberland had crested at 40.02 feet, according to the National Weather Service. Jeremy Ober, director of the Hancock County Office of Emergency Management, said the forecasted crest had been a “living, breathing projection,” changing several times prior to the climax.

Although minor flooding may have appeared in other parts of Hancock, significant flood events occurred primarily in New Cumberland, Ober said. Flooding was observed in the city’s downtown lower level and on state Route 2 at the train tracks to the fire station’s north.

HIGH WATER — The flood-swollen Ohio River came within several feet of reaching the top of the wall at the Steubenville Marina Thursday afternoon. -- Christopher Dacanay

Affected portions of Route 2 were closed to traffic, being limited to local access and public safety personnel.

Upon its crest, the river can now begin its slow recession, Ober said, noting that the river will still be high but is not expected to swell any more. With that, the local emergency management office can turn its focus toward damage assessment, distributing cleaning kits to affected residents and getting them “back to normal.”

Regarding affected residents, Ober said, “Most of them have been through events like this before and much worse. They’re a very resilient group of people.”

On the Ohio side, the village of Mingo Junction had its South Commercial Street cut off from its downtown, as a pool of water rendered its south end underpass undrivable. Access for traffic between both sides must now be accomplished by using state Route 7 and the Route 151 interchange.

Mingo Junction Mayor Judy Ruckman reported that significant flooding was also seen on South Commercial Street in front of the JSW Steel USA entrance, as Cross Creek flooded over. The village marina and baseball field behind the water department facility also were underwater, as were parts of Wabash Street, residents of which had been evacuated.

PRIVATE ISLAND — The Charles Street residence of Jim and Marsha Allen in Wellsburg was surrounded Thursday with at least two feet of water on all sides, according to the Allen’s estimate. -- Christopher Dacanay

Ruckman advised residents: “Be mindful of your surroundings. Don’t (drive) through any high water even if it doesn’t look that high.”

Up the river, the former Lock and Dam No. 10 in Steubenville, now the city’s marina, was submerged to the point where only the word “Steubenville” could be seen, with “Marina” hidden below the water.

WIDESPREAD FLOODING — Portions of the lower areas of downtown New Cumberland, including several properties along South Chester Street, were among those affected by local flooding Thursday morning. -- Craig Howell