Horry County closes two Nichols roads due to flooding

Two roads in the Nichols area are closed because of flooding.

River Road and River Loop Road in Nichols are closed to all traffic and the end of the roadway is accessible by watercraft only, said Lisa Bourcier, Horry County spokeswoman. There are no detours in the area because River Loop Road is submerged, she said.

The roads were closed Monday afternoon and will remain closed until further notice, Bourcier said.

The Waccamaw River near Conway is at 11.8 feet, and moderate flooding occurs at 11 feet, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, N.C. The river has risen from 10.8 feet Friday because of heavy rain during the weekend.

Areas near the Waccamaw River are under a flood warning, according to the weather service.

The Waccamaw River near Longs is at 12.4 feet, while the Little Pee Dee River near Galivants Ferry is at 10. 2 feet, according to the weather service. The Little Pee Dee River is expected to reach almost 11 feet by Friday.

“This will create some flooding of the roads in the usual areas along the river and mainly around the Conway area,” Bourcier said of the river levels.

The river is expected to reach just shy of 13 feet by Friday, and Horry County “will continue to send our road closure updates as the decisions are made,” Bourcier said.

Several areas in Conway were flooded Sunday and Long Avenue Extension at Grier Swamp was closed late Sunday. Conway city police reopened the road Monday morning, according to Sgt. Darren Alston.

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 3:03 PM with the headline "Horry County closes two Nichols roads due to flooding."