WILMINGTON, N.C. (WSPA / AP) — Officials have ordered evacuations along the Lynches River in eastern South Carolina because of flooding from Hurricane Florence.
Florence County emergency management officials issued the order Friday morning for about 500 people along 58 roads and streets in the area.
The National Weather Service says the river could reach record flood levels late Saturday or early Sunday.
The county has opened emergency shelters in Florence, Lake City, Johnsonville and Coward.
The SC Emergency Response team says they are preparing for rivers to rise.
They say the forecast is for the Waccamaw, Lynches, Little Pee Dee and Big Pee Dee rivers to crest east of I-95 this weekend and into early next week.
They say the confluence of the Pee Dee and Little Pee Dee may reach flood levels greater than Hurricane Matthew.
I-95 was closed in several sports and SC 22 is closed both directions between SC 905 to SC 90.
I-95 in Dillon and Florence counties reopened in both directions at 4:00pm Friday, according to the SCDOT. I-95 remains closed in North Carolina beginning at mile marker 13.
US 501 is currently open in a limited capacity.
There are 113 roads and 56 bridges closed in South Carolina due to the storm as of 4:00pm Friday.
