By Greg Jordan, Emily Rice and Charles Boothe Bluefield Daily Telegraph
PRINCETON, W.Va. — County schools and roads were closed Thursday as rain continued to fall and create flooding conditions throughout McDowell County and neighboring Mercer County.
Schools in McDowell and Mercer counties were dismissed because of continuing rain and high water issues in some back road areas. The Mercer County Board of Education announced late Thursday that all schools would remain closed today due to widespread flooding; all extra-curricular activities are canceled, including athletics.
McDowell County Schools will be closed today as well, the school system announced late Thursday.
The National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va., issued a flood warning for McDowell and Mercer counties in West Virginia and Tazewell, Bland and Buchanan counties in Virginia. An extended period of rain and thunderstorms was forecast for Thursday, creating favorable conditions for flooding. Rainfall as great as 2 to 3 inches was expected with some local amounts being even higher. …