Buchanan County Virginia Landslide…Now An Abandoned Mine Emergency

The Virginia Department of Mines Minerals and Energy is on the scene of an abandoned mine land emergency in the Lower Mill Branch section of Buchanan County. The landslide threatened a home and partially moved it off its foundation. Those residents were evacuated and crews are redirecting water going to the mudslide to stabilize the slope to prevent more material from sliding and restoring stable drainage control. The slide was caused due to historic mining and record rainfall that flooded the abandoned mine portals. Stabilizing the landslide will cost approximately one hundred thousand dollars. Homes were evacuated last week after another mudslide occurred in the Dante Community of Russell County also due to heavy rains.