Travel

Florence Flooding Closes Interstate 95 in Several Spots in the Carolinas; I-75 Through Tennessee, Georgia Advised Instead

At a Glance

Interstate 95 was shut down by flooding Sunday along several stretches in the Carolinas.
One closure impacted about 60 miles of the freeway in North Carolina.
Officials advise avoiding I-95 in favor of I-75 through Georgia and Tennessee instead.

Across the Carolinas, more than 600 road closures left thousands stranded, but perhaps none caused as many travel headaches as Interstate 95.

Flooding led to the closure of a huge stretch of I-95 from north of Fayetteville, North Carolina, all the way north to U.S. 64 – a span of about 60 miles. Officials told drivers to avoid I-95 entirely and advised them to instead go west into Tennessee and take I-75 through Georgia, WTVR.com reported.

"This is an extremely long detour, but it is the detour that offers the lowest risk of flooding at this time," said the DOT.

(MORE: Latest News from North Carolina | South Carolina)

Additional smaller closures were reported along the freeway in other parts of North Carolina, including a stretch near the town of Lumberton.

The closures extended into South Carolina, where a 9-mile stretch of the freeway in Dillon County was closed Sunday morning because of flooding. The South Carolina Department of Transportation said there were no available detours for that stretch of the interstate as of Sunday morning.

"Motorists should avoid this area," the DOT also said.