CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The American Red Cross has set up a toll-free hotline to give out information on Red Cross services for people who have been affected by flooding.

The number is 1-866-GET-INFO. It will be manned 24 hours a day.

The Red Cross also set up another distribution site at Birch Middle School.

Hot meals will be available starting today at noon at the Larry Joe Harless Community Center in Gilbert. Red Cross is also taking meals to people in outer areas.

The Red Cross shelter at the Freedom Full Gospel Church is closing Wednesday at 9 a.m.

From The Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Federal and state crews have started tallying up the damage from this weekend's flooding in West Virginia's southern coalfields.

A spokeswoman with the Federal Emergency Management Agency says the count is needed to determine if the region qualifies for federal disaster aid.

Heavy rainfall late Friday and early Saturday turned streams into raging waterways that swept into homes, knocked out power, damaged roadways and ripped out small bridges.

A preliminary count shows least 300 buildings in Mingo County were destroyed and hundreds were damaged in Wyoming and McDowell counties.

Division of Highways spokesman Brent Walker says early estimates show damage to roadways and bridges is between $10 million to $12 million.

Saturday, five National Guard teams helped county officials assess damage and coordinate military support. Sunday, more than 200 soldiers from the 111th Engineer Brigade began moving to Williamson to set up a staging area at the National Guard armory.

A spokesperson with the Guard tells WSAZ.com that they will send high water vehicles to flooded areas of the affected counties to help with damage assessment. They will also send a Blackhawk helicopter to evacuate people needing medical attention that have been trapped by high water.

Guard officials said engineer crews would begin working immediately with local officials to address recovery issues. Soldiers will also distribute water and cleaning supplies throughout affected areas.

“State and local emergency management officials are on-site, assessing damages and offering assistance where needed,” Governor Joe Manchin stated in a news release sent Saturday afternoon. “We continue to monitor the rivers and streams so that we can offer additional assistance should the situation worsen.”

State officials say they have reports of water in homes, mudslides and power outages in several areas.

WSAZ had crews in Mingo and Logan Counties reporting on the flood waters. A dispatcher in Boone County says they had one mudslide today, but have otherwise been fine.

Gilbert water customers are urged to drink bottled water and not use their tap water until further notice. Shelters have been set up in Mingo County at the Delbarton, Gilbert, Matewan and Williamson Volunteer Fire Departments. You can also drop off items like water, food and cleaning supplies to help those in need.

Folks living in Justice are urged to not use the water. The Mingo Public Service District says water should be back by morning.

Governor Manchin activated the state's Emergency Operations Center. The state of emergency remains in effect for thirty days.

SHELTER / ASSISTANCE INFORMATION
Here is current shelter information from the Red Cross:

• The Red Cross has set up a shelter at the Open Door Church in Rhodell in Raleigh County.
  
• In Mingo County, Red Cross disaster workers are working to gain access to sheltering operations to assist local authorities. At this time, they are having difficulty reaching these locations because of closed or impassable roads.
  
• Red Cross workers at Central WV chapter headquarters in Charleston are loading up relief supplies, such as cots, blankets, sheltering and health care kits, heater meals and clean-up supplies for distribution throughout the affected area.

The town of Wharncliffe is under a shelter-in-place, according to Mingo County officials. Members of the fire department want people to stay put until they can get to them.

Evacuations are also taking place in North Matewan, Magnolia Gardens, Delbarton and Gilbert. Folks are being taken to the fire departments in each area.

WSAZ media partner, West Virginia Metronews, reports several dozen residents have been evacuated in Pigeon Creek and Mate Creek in Mingo County. Emergency Services has reports of mobile homes being taken off their foundations and high water getting into several houses.

As of 10:10 a.m., a truck with a full tank of fuel is stuck under the South Williamson Bridge at U.S. 119 South, causing the road to be shut down in this area. Dispatchers are asking drivers to avoid the area.

Many emergency workers have not been able to come into work Saturday due to the flooding of their own homes.

More than two inches of rain fell in about a 24-hour period in southern West Virginia.

Homeland Security Operations Director Paul Howard said Saturday that some homes had to be evacuated. He didn't immediately know many were affected, but said emergency officials were trying to assess the situation at daybreak. Several main roads have been closed because of high water.

Howard says the hardest hit area appears to be Mingo County. He says officials are also monitoring flooding in McDowell and Wyoming counties.

Senator Truman Chafin sent a news release Saturday morning advising that the state leaders have "authorized the West Virginia National Guard and the West Virginia Dept of Highways and other emergency state aid workers to be dispatched to Gilbert and Gilbert Creek and other flood stricken area along route #52 in Mingo and McDowell Counties for assistance of some 150 to 200 familles who are flood bound and have their homes and property inundated by the flash flood waters."

No injuries have been reported.

e-Reporter Von sent us the picture of the car under water in the community of Aflex, Kentucky around 2 this morning.

WSAZ.com has a crew on the way to Mingo County. Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for updated information.

Here are some photos submitted by WSAZ e-Reporters Saturday morning. Click here to submit photos of flood damage near you.