GILBERT, W.Va. (AP) - The National Guard is helping residents in West Virginia's southern coalfields recover from weekend flooding that destroyed at least 300 buildings, knocked out power and caused mudslides that flushed trash, debris and at least one mobile home downstream.

Gov. Joe Manchin toured the region and activated 300 Guard troops Sunday on top of the 30 he called up a day before when he declared a state of emergency for six counties, said Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management spokesman Robert Jelacic.

"Since I have been governor, the damage that was caused by the flash floods and rain is as bad as I have seen anywhere," Manchin said in a statement. "The period of bad weather that hit this region did so with tremendous force and devastation."Want the whole story?