GREENVILLE — The recent deluge of rain across the eight counties comprising Division 2 offered a reminder to drivers and emergency workers alike just how dangerous flooding can be.
“Even a small amount of rain can make driving hazardous,” said N.C. Department of Transportation Division Maintenance Engineer Jeremy Stroud. “But when you have several days of sustained rainfall, the ground gets saturated. When that happens, the water has nowhere to go, which is why we have drainage ditches that run alongside our roads.”
Unfortunately, drainage ditches have their limits. When there is no place for the water to go and no way to contain it, streets and highways flood.
“Travel during and after an extended period of rainfall can be treacherous,” said Stroud. “A flooded road might appear safe on the surface, but you can’t tell what’s going on below, until it’s too late,”
Transportation officials urge motorists not to drive on roads covered water and to never drive around a barricade.
“Barricades are there for a reason,” said Stroud. “If you pay attention to them, they will save your life. If you drive around them or even remove them from the road, you are risking your life as well as the lives of the first responders who will try to save you.”
For more information on just how dangerous a flash flood can be as well ways to avoid this hazard, please follow the link.