Stokes County roads damaged by flooding

STOKES COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) – Stokes County Emergency Services officials were called to Bethesda Church Road after a car was washed away when flooding took out the road.

Officials say they’re just happy no one was hurt.

“We saw rainfall accumulation anywhere from five to eight inches occur yesterday afternoon. That was enough to cause those rivers and creeks to rise rapidly,” said Nick Fillo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Two roads in the county couldn’t withstand all the water as it came flowing under the bridge. Bethesda Church Road and Franklin Moore Road will need major repairs.

Fillo says this kind of damage goes to show just how powerful water can be. A day after the storm, gravel and debris were left behind as the water continued to flow through.

Levi Smith, who lives just down the road from the washed-out bridge, says when he found out Franklin Moore Road washed away, it stopped him in his tracks.

He says the bridge was just repaired from the last time it washed out.

“It took them two years to fix it, and now it’s out again, but it was nowhere near this bad,” Smith said.

He says he uses Franklin Moore Road every day.

“It’s going to be terrible for a lot of people,” Smith said.

Director of Stokes County Emergency Management Brandon Gentry says this is why people need to stay alert on severe weather days

“You get issued a flash flood warning in your area, use extreme caution, especially if it’s dark outside at night … You drive up on these roads that are washed out you won’t know it until it’s too late … Don’t ever drive through water,” Gentry said.

Gentry said as long as the rain stays away, the water should go down quickly. As for when the roads will be repaired, there’s no clear timeline for when they will reopen.

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