Concerns of heavy rain impacting Barnwell County’s dirt roads

BARNWELL COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF) – The upcoming rain has local EMS concerned about students’ return to school in Barnwell County.

Roger Riley, the Barnwell Emergency Management Director, said the condition of the dirt roads do not allow for safe travel.

“Our big concern here has been dirt roads, we have like 300 plus dirt roads in the county, and that’s the primary reason for schools not opening, is being able to travel on those roads and we are out assessing those now to see about tomorrow,” he said.

Riley added, “Now we’re concerned with our dirt roads, we’ve had a couple of those wash out and we can’t repair them until the rain stops.”

Just next door to a partially washed out road is a home whose front and backyard is nearly a foot deep in water.

The family, who didn’t want to go on camera, tells NewsChannel 6 it happens every time there is a storm, but never this bad.

Luckily, Barnwell County Emergency Management Director Roger Riley says no power outages have been accounted for.

“Our biggest concern, according to the national weather report this morning, two to three inches more of rain and the ground is already saturated, and 20 mile an hour sustained winds and 30 mile gusts is still possible here,” said Riley. “So, that’s when we’ll probably have trees is tonight and tomorrow.”

The county is sending out the message to encourage people to stay home and remain off of the roads if possible.

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