A federal disaster has been declared in West Virginia, as historic flooding hit several counties in West Virginia last week in what the National Weather Service (NWS) has called a “one-in-a-thousand-year event.”

The flooding has destroyed 1,200 homes and killed at least 23 people, the nation's highest death toll from flash floods since May 2010, CNN reported. It’s the third-deadliest flood on record for West Virginia, according to USA Today.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting applications from residents in the three hardest hit counties: Greenbrier, Nicholas and Kanawha. The Elk River in Kanawha County reached 33.37 feet Friday morning, its highest crest in 125 years of records, the NWS reported. West Virginia received one-quarter of its yearly rainfall in a single day.

Counselor contacted industry companies in the area to see how they were faring during and after the floods. Meg Lewis of Postnet (asi/392495) reported a loss of power for several days that forced the company to close last Friday and reopen on Monday, while Mandy O’Dell of Starlite Promotions LLC (asi/335006) said there was damage all around the company, but luckily, the office had no damage.

The U.S. Postal Service retail and delivery operations in the hardest hit West Virginia locations have been temporarily curtailed or relocated. For a list of affected Post Offices and the alternate temporary locations, visit www.usps.com.