WINDSOR, N.C. (WNCT) – There’s a State of Emergency for Bertie County where widespread flooding has affected much of the area, shutting down several roads and closing schools and businesses.
At 5:30 p.m. Bertie County Board of Commissioners Chairman John Trent signed a resolution declaring the State of Emergency for Bertie County. In anticipation of the cresting of the Cashie River in Windsor at 4:00 a.m. Thursday morning, and related flooding in rural areas of Bertie County, Emergency Services Director Mitch Cooper announced the opening of an emergency shelter at Bertie Middle School on Highway 13 North just outside of Windsor. But that shelter has now been moved across the street to Bertie High School because of flooding blocking the entrance to the middle school.
Area residents concerned about possible flooding are encouraged to seek shelter and move to the Bertie Middle School Wednesday evening. Red Cross officials and staff of Bertie County Department of Social Services will be staffing the shelter at Bertie Middle School.
The Bertie County Sheriff’s patrol, the Town of Windsor police and local volunteer fire departments will remain on call and available to assist residents. In addition, EMS ambulances will remain on duty throughout the evening as normally scheduled.
NC DOT is making preparations for road closures due to flooding later this evening.
Heavy rain has been pelting the east all week, including Bertie County, as well as other northeastern North Carolina counties. Over a foot or more rain has fallen since Monday, much of it since late Tuesday. It’s all a result of the remnants of the tropical system once known as Julia.
And with the rain continuing to come down, many people are concerned that the flooding could get even worse.
“If we have an emergency, getting the EMS or fire people to them on account of these closed roads, that’ll be the problem. The timing getting to where we need to go,” explained Milton Felton, Colerain Volunteer Fire Dept. chief.
Highway 17 is closed near old U.S. 17 just east of Windsor due to high water. Also, parts of routes 42 and 45 near Colerain are closed for the same reason.
Numerous other roads in the county are dealing with high water. Travel information is available in the Travel section of NCDOT.gov or by following NCDOT on Twitter.
Before the roads were shut down, there was at least one water rescue earlier Wednesday. “Two ladies, a man, and a 10-month-old baby that we were able to get to and get them out of the car safely. Everybody’s fine,” said Felton.
No homes have been affected, but deputies said they’ve had to “pick a few people up” after their cars became disabled due to the high water.
Chowan County has also seen just over ten inches of rain while over seven inches has fallen in Camden County and nearly five inches have fallen in Pasquotank County.
Flooding is also impacting Beaufort County, primarily in Washington. Police Captain William Chrismon said officers have put more than 100 cones around town, near high water levels. If you see the cones, the department said find an alternate route. Don’t go around them.
Drivers are reminded to avoid unnecessary travel, especially in areas prone to flooding, and to use extra care and take precautions when on the roads:
• Do not drive through flooded areas. If you see a flooded roadway ahead, turn around and take an
alternate route to your destination. If there is no alternate route, head to higher ground and wait for
the water to subside. Do not attempt to cross over a flooded road even if it seems shallow. Just one
foot of water can float many vehicles, while two feet of rushing water can carry away vehicles
including SUVs and pick-ups.
• Know what to do if your car begins to hydroplane. Hydroplaning occurs when your tires glide across
the surface of the water on the road. If your car starts to hydroplane, take your foot off the gas, but do
not stomp on the brakes. Instead, apply the brakes in a steady, slightly firm manner, and steer in the
direction of the skid. If you have a manual transmission, push in the clutch and let the car slow down
on its own. If you have an automatic transmission, hold the steering wheel steady and lightly apply the
brakes. For cars that have anti-lock brakes, you should apply more pressure to the brakes, but avoid
pumping them.
• Allow more travel time, reduce your speed and drive defensively. Motorists should drive at least five to
10 miles per hour slower on wet pavement and allow at least twice the normal following distance
between cars to provide ample room for stopping. Be ready for a sudden stop. And remember that the
driver behind you is dealing with the same conditions so signal for turns ahead of time and brake early
as you near a stop. Be patient and do not pass lines of traffic.
Flooding reported across much of Bertie County