Flooding remains a danger overnight, with multiple roads still closed

By Keely Arthur, WRAL reporter

Garner, N.C. — Even as the rain slowed and the sun set, the floodwaters have not all receded. A segment of I-95 is still closed, as well as Buffaloe Road near Highway 50. Over 200 roads reportedly closed on Thursday, with many water rescues and more than one tragic death.

Officials said they are concerned about people driving after dark, as the low visibility makes it difficult to see where roads are flooded – or even completely washed out.

Officials also warn dark water could hide power lines underneath, or unknown depths.

Authorities said people should avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock a person down, and 2 feet of water can sweep your vehicle away – a situation many people found themselves in today.

Up to 10 inches or rain fell over the past 24 hours in some parts of central North Carolina. Aerial shots show the devastation in Wilson County, one of the hardest hit areas. One aerial showed a car on Holly Springs Road trapped in flood waters.

“It happens very quickly,” said Andy Hiscock, Certified Fire Investigator for the Cary Fire Department. “The waters accumulate, the rain is still coming, and then it flashes – before you even realize what’s happening.”

In Garner, police redirected traffic during rush hour, after parts of Aversboro Road, south of Timber Drive, flooded, stalling a car.

Buffaloe Road was shut down entirely after levels in nearby Lake Benson rose.

The destruction spilled onto private property as well. Video showed one homeowner with water running into her home in south Raleigh near garner, flooding her basement even as more rain poured down.

The water levels at Lake Benson remain unpredictable tonight, and many North Carolina rivers are forecast to crest over the next few days.