High water, washed out roads and downed trees left behind from Hurricane Matthew caused many roads in Sampson County to close.
According to Susan Holder, assistant county manager, nearly 200 roads or portions of roads were closed and impassable, including several major thoroughfares.
“We still have significant areas in the county that are hard to get to,” Holder said Sunday afternoon.
In addition to many secondary roads affected by the heavy rains and winds, N.C. 403 was impassable, there were problems in the northern and southern portions of U.S. 421, with flooding at the Star Telephone Corporation main offices, and flooding in the southern and northern ends of U.S. 701.
Despite emergency personnel’s urging to keep vehicles off roadways, Holder said more than two dozen water rescues were performed. People were either stranded on top of cars that were caught in water or trapped inside cars.
Outside resources, like the five National Guard units and the Urban Swift Water Rescue Team, were on hand Sunday to assist county emergency workers with rescues.
According to information provided by Holder, the following roads were closed due to washouts: Bonnetsville Road, Harrells Highway, N.C. 903, Dunn Road, Greenpath Road, High House Road, Maxwell Road, Longview Lake Road, Boykin Bridge Road, Mintz Road, Andrews Chapel Road, Tyndall Grove Road, Barker Road, McLemore Road, Microwave Tower Road, Hayne Stretch Road, The Ave., N. Peavine Road, Five Bridge Road, Crumpler Mill Road, Huntley School Road, Page Road, Feed Mill Road, Wrench Road, Union Grove Church Road, Phillips Road, Ira B. Tart Road, Draughon Road, Old Crow Road, Alex Benton Road, Church Road, Boyette Road, Giddensville Road, Bucktown Road, Wiggins Road, Grady Road, Cedar Point Road, Cabin Museum Road, Moltonville Road, Rowan Road and Brewer Road.