Florence flooding: US 421 near Wilmington now impassable

Friday, September 21, 2018

A portion of US-421 near Wilmington is now impassable a week after Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina.

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Flood water was seen seeping onto the highway Thursday near the Pender County-New Hanover County line. The water washed it out by Friday.

NCDOT tweeted that there is no reliable and safe way to get to and from Wilmington.

Some officials are urging residents to stay inland if they don't need to get to Wilmington.

However, New Hanover County tweeted Thursday that the NC State Highway Patrol is advising those returning to Wilmington use the following route: I-40 East to NC 24 East to Jacksonville, then US 17 South to Wilmington.

Some who have taken that route have reported to ABC11 that it can take up to six hours.

Florence aftermath: More on road closures through the state