By Tameka Kenan-Norman, City of Rocky Mount NC
Conditions in the city of Rocky Mount and throughout the Twin Counties have worsened due to heavy rains over the past three days. Locally heavy rains and rain upstream of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, along the Tar River is expected to impact river levels locally.
The most recent numbers by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) prediction service indicate that the Tar River should crest at approximately 9pm tonight, April 25, 2017. The river is expected to crest at 26.9 feet at the Atlantic Avenue gauge. Major flood stage at this location is 25 feet.
Because the river is expected to be two feet above major flood stage, but approximately 1.9 feet lower than the floodwaters experienced during Hurricane Matthew, the city of Rocky Mount is asking all property owners who were impacted locally by Hurricane Matthew to monitor the situation closely and to make necessary provisions for possible flooding. Projected numbers may change, so residents in low lying areas are asked to monitor those numbers by accessing the NOAA website link at www.rockymountnc.gov.
Currently, there are some street closures in Rocky Mount and more are expected. Please remember not to drive through standing water. “Turn around, don’t drown.” The city should be out of major flood levels by late Thursday or Friday.
Any major updates, including street closures, will be posted to the city’s website at www.rockymountnc.gov and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/citybeat. Information will also be shared with the city’s local media partners.
