LIVE: Petersburg officials address flooding
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PETERSBURG, Va. (WWBT)—Petersburg’s city manager says this week’s state of emergency will remain in effect through August following unprecedented flooding from recent storms.
In a press conference Thursday morning, city officials said they are working on cleaning up and clearing debris after storms earlier this week brought in 8 to 10 inches of rain.
Mayor Sam Parham expressed frustration at how the city has not been able to secure funding for better infrastructure.
“What we are seeing now are definitely the horrific effects of the many decades of neglect of Petersburg not being able to get the necessary funding to dredge the Appomattox River,” Parham said.
ThefirstremovalofsedimentsanddebrisfromtheAppomattoxoccurredin1871.Theriverwaslastdredgedin1949,withapartialdredgehappeningagainin1993,butitwasstopped.
In2005,$500,000wasallocatedfordredging;however,itwasredirectedtocommunitiesaffectedbyHurricaneKatrina.
In2007,$1.4millionwasdesignatedfortheAppomattoxRiverproject,andin2009,over$200,000wasallocatedfortheriver.However,thecitystate
