By: Erin Smith
Bladen residents in the Colly community on NC 41 East are calling the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew the worst flooding in 63 years.
Carolyn Lewis who lives near Colly Creek said, “This is the worst I’ve ever seen it.”
Lewis said she has resided in the area for 63 years and has not seen Colly Creek flood this badly.
When asked about Hurricane Hazel she replied she was only a child when Hazel struck and didn’t recall much about that storm.
William Eamon of Davis Road in the Ammon community drove through flood waters on NC 41 East at South River on Monday. A visibly shaken Eamon said that he and his wife had driven to Garland only an hour before hand crossing another flooded bridge on US 701 at the Sampson-Bladen County line. He said when they returned to the same bridge the flood waters had risen making a return trip virtually impossible.
Eamon said he was told he could travel NC 41 only to find it, too, was flooded.
“I’m trying to get back home. I went to Garland this morning to get gas,” said Eamon.
He said as he was traveling NC 41 from Harrells back towards Bladen County when he encountered the flood waters at CC Camp Road in Sampson County and drove on a flooded roadway to the county line.
Eamon said he could feel the rushing water pushing against his pickup truck as he drove.
Emergency personnel are asking residents to not attempt to cross flooded roadways.
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