Latest: I-95, I-40 Closed Due to Floods from Florence

Hurricane Florence-triggered floods forced the closure of Interstate 95 and Interstate 40 in North and South Carolina.

The Post and Courier reported that I-95 was shut down in South Carolina’s Dillon County. It is shut down between exits 181 and 190, which are between Dillon and Oak Grove.

Drivers have been told to use exit 190 and follow the detour back to I-95, WCTI reported.

I-40 westbound and eastbound lanes were closed from Wilmington to I-95 near Benson, ABC11 reported on Sept. 16.

In Fayetteville, all lanes of I-95 are closed between Exit 81 (I-40) and Exit 65 (NC-82) near Dunn because of flooding, according to WCTI. The road is slated to open Sept. 17 on 8:30 a.m.

Drivers have to take Exit 81-A for I-40 West, and they are advised to continue on I-40 West until reaching Exit 123-A (US-321 South) in Hickory, North Carolina. Later, they should continue on US-321 South and turn right on I-85 South in Gastonia. Then, they should continue on I-85 South to enter South Carolina.

For a list of roads that are affected by Florence, head to North Carolina’s Department of Transportation (DOT) website.

“This is an extremely long detour, but it is the detour that offers the lowest risk of flooding at this time,” the DOT said, WRAL reported.

Florence Update

Staff at local news station WWAY had to shelter in place on Sept. 16 due to a tornado warning.

“Three days of hurricane coverage and we just had to run out of the studio because of a tornado that headed near the station. We are all OK,” the station tweeted at 1 a.m. ET.

“OK guys, we are going to have to stop coverage right now because we have got to get to our safe zone right now,” one reporter said on the air, ABC11 reported. “So please take shelter, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.”

In a 5 a.m. update on Florence, which hit the Carolinas as a Category 1 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said the storm weakened to a tropical depression with 35 mph winds.

“A turn toward the northwest with an increase in forward speed is expected today, followed by a turn toward the north and northeast with an additional increase in forward speed on Monday. On the forecast track, Florence’s center will move across the western Carolinas today and then recurve over the Ohio Valley and Northeast U.S. Monday and Tuesday,” according to the agency.

But it stated that between “5 to 10 inches, with storm total accumulations of 15 to 20 inches in western North Carolina“ can be expected. ”These rainfall amounts will produce catastrophic flash flooding, prolonged significant river flooding, and an elevated risk for landslides in western North Carolina and far southwest Virginia,” the agency said.