Limited state of emergency declared in Delaware

Sussex County is now under a state of emergency as heavy rain and high winds cause flooding problems.

While his counterparts in New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia issued a statewide state of emergency declaration yesterday, Delaware Governor Jack Markell has only called for limited state of emergency in southern Delaware. 

“Though predicted rainfall totals have dropped and the expected path of Hurricane Joaquin remains well off-coast, high winds and coastal flooding will significantly impact Sussex County,” Markell said. “Residents in flood-pone areas of the state should prepare accordingly.”

A number of events in Delaware through the weekend were cancelled when this heavy rainfall was expected to be followed by Hurricane Joaquin.

This weekend’s NASCAR events at Dover International Speedway are in jeopardy as well. Today’s K&N Pro Series East race has been postponed until tomorrow and all qualifying events for Saturday and Sunday’s races have been cancelled. Track officials remain optimistic that cars will race at the Monster Mile this weekend.

The limited declaration for Sussex County means state offices will remain open. Even though there are no driving restrictions in place, there are a number of roads that are covered in water and impassable. 

In Sussex County, those roads include:

Primehook Road closed in Milton
River Road closed in Oak Orchard
Front Street closed in Milford
Nanticoke Road – Water on roadway
Turn Point Road – Water on roadway
Inlet Road – Water on roadway
Mercer Avenue in Oak Orchard – Water on roadway

In Kent County:

Old Cemetery Road near Route 1 -Water on roadway
Old Cemetery Road and Tubmill Pond Road – Water on roadway
Tubmill Pond Road – Water on roadway
Market Street in Frederica – Water on roadway
Skeeter Neck Road – Water on roadway
Williamsville Rd. between Holly Hill Road & Blairs Pond Road – Water on roadway
Prospect Church Road, south of Route 14 – Water on roadway
Deep Grass Lane between Thistlewood Rd. and Williamsville Rd. – Water on roadway
Hills Market Road between Route 13 and Sugar Stick Road – Water on roadway
Andrewsville Rd. between Gallo Rd. and Prospect Church Rd. – Water on roadway
Allabands Mill Rd. between Todds Mill Rd. & Camden-Wyoming Ave.-Water on road
Killens Pond Road, just north of Bloomfield Road – Water on roadway
South Bowers Beach Road at Webbs Cut-off – Water on roadway
Todds Chapel Rd. between Hickman Rd. and Fishers Bridge Rd. – Water on roadway
Hazlettville Road between Wyoming Mill Road and Artis Drive – Water on roadway
Big Stone Beach Rd. between New Wharf Rd. and Greenhouse Rd. – Water on road
New Wharf Road between Big Stone Road and Route 1 – Water on roadway
Deep Grass Lane between Williamsville Road and Rod Club Road – Water on roadway
Barkers Landing Road, just east of South State Street – Water on roadway
Cypress Branch Road, just north of Ponderosa Drive – Water on roadway
John Hurd Rd. between Spectrum Farms Rd. and Meredith Rd. – Water on roadway