Evacuation Orders Remain In Place Until Further Notice
Update: Greene St bridge is now closed and the Memorial and 264 bridges will be closed Tuesday at 5:00 PM. This makes all bridges connecting north and south Greenville will be closed. It is unknown how long it will take before the road is reopened so it is advised that you plan ahead and prepare for these closings. The airport has been closed as of yesterday afternoon and will not reopen until the water has receded and it is safe to return. How long that will take is also unknown. The evacuations are still in place for Greenville and have been issued in Kinston.
Yesterday the Greenville Mayor Order Mandatory and Voluntary Evacuation orders for areas along and north of the Tar Rivers. The evacuation map still is unchanged from yesterday. If you are in an area shaded in on the map below and haven’t left, it is highly recommended that you leave immediately.
The river will continue to rise near historic levels which have not been seen since Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Major roads are now blocked off due to rising water and poor road integrity. The City of Greenville has tweeted 264 near the county line is impassible.
Parts of 10th street are also blocked off due to the road collapsing in multiple areas. A map released yesterday has listed some areas where the road is not safe to drive.
The Tar River will continue to climb this week and should crest on Wednesday around 25-26 ft and slowly fall 4 ft by this weekend. This will create a long-term isolation between north and south Greenville.
So be cautious this week and evacuate if you are in the evacuation zones and do not expect to drive into these zones coming from outside of these zones. These are areas that are prone to this type of flooding and are not safe for passage.
Other cities close to rivers in ENC are experiencing similar flooding situations with some rivers continuing to climb and some that have reached their crest and the water is beginning to fall. Consult with local authorities in these areas to get up-to-date information regarding this dangerous situation.
Please to not attempt to cross flooded roads no matter how deep you think it is. If you drive into the flooded areas and get stuck, you are putting your life and emergency crews life at risk.
I will continue to update later today as more information becomes available. Stay safe everyone and have a good Monday.