Craig County Emergency Personnel Prepare For Flooding Problems

Emergency management officials in Craig County are very concerned about the possibility of flooding. The county has seen rain for eight straight hours. 

Northern Craig County has received six to eight inches of rain, and more is expected. 

A driver is OK after floodwaters swept her car off a rural road. It happened on County Road 520 just a few miles northwest of Vinita.

Her car was swept off the road ending up against a barbed wire fence in several feet of water.

Another car stalled on the county road nearby, and a man with a tractor ended up getting the two to safety. 

The concern is all that water could end up flooding neighborhoods in Vinita. It usually takes a few hours for runoff in the northern part of the county to make it to Vinita. Craig County Emergency Management is keeping check on creek and stream levels. 

The agency has already sent several emergency alerts to residents to make them aware of the potential for flooding Friday.  The director really wants county residents to be aware of how suddenly the water can rise.

"All that water comes down to Vinita and we have two areas that flood, when cabin creek overflows and it's bank is full. any more comes down we're going to have a flood problem," said Morris Bluejacket. 

As of noon, there were only four roads closed in Craig County because of high water.  But based on past experience, Bluejacket says that could grow to over a dozen roads as the runoff makes its way south into Vinita.