Hundreds of roads in the Carolinas still closed due to Florence flooding

Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Hundreds of roads in the Carolinas remained closed Wednesday due to flooding related to Hurricane Florence.

About 354 roads in North Carolina were closed and up to 60 roads in South Carolina were closed, including 10 in Georgetown County and 50 in Horry County, The Post and Courier reported.

Georgetown was prepared for additional flooding, as the overflowing Waccamaw and Great Pee Dee pushed water toward Winyah Bay in South Carolina.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation advised people in nine counties to avoid road travel "due to flooding and roads and bridges that have been washed out."

Road closures on Interstate 95 in both states ended late last week and North Carolina Department of Transportation spokesman Andrew Barksdale said voids under the pavement leading to bridges were found in areas where floodwaters receded and were filled with a special polyurethane foam.

Also Wednesday, the North Carolina Coastal Federation issued a warning, urging the public that it wasn't yet safe to swim and wade in coastal waters, due to high amounts of polluted runoff still flowing into coastal waterways.

Swimming or wading in the water can cause severe illness including "bacterial infections, earaches, hepatitis, skin rashes and respiratory issues," the organization said.

"We need to be loud and clear that swimming in coastal waters is currently a threat to public health, safety and welfare," executive director of the federation, Todd Miller said.