Rain causes problems on Pender roads

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — As the rain continued to pour down, it also continued to wash out roads. In Malpass Corner Road off of US 421 North in Pender County, the side of the road completely caved in from all the rain.

The 700 block of Willard Railroad Street and roads near Holly Shelter were closed Wednesday night due to flooding. The worst areas in Pender County were in the eastern part of the county, but deputies say the west is catching up.

“Ditches and canals and all are fillin’ up, and the ground’s fairly well saturated,” Pender Co. Emergency Management Director Tom Collins said. “Water just has no place to go, so it’s ponding up, ditches are getting full, and the low areas and the roadways, so some areas are pretty much impassable.”

This weather and the dangerous conditions it’s causing are keeping people off the roads and out of businesses.

“It’s slowed everything down quite a bit, I mean, usually on Monday through Thursday, it’s kinda busy,” said gas station worker Nick Kagy. “You got a bunch of truckers comin’ in and out, but lately, they’ve been pullin’ ’em over to the side, gettin’ scales to make sure there’s not anybody goin’ off the roads and stuff.”

Because the rain will continue to fall, the Pender County Sheriff’s Department is anticipating more road closures. Motorists are urged to check road closures before heading out and to avoid any pooled water on roadways.