Stewart Parkway closed, tornadoes reported

Published 11:06 pm Friday, August 26, 2011

Earlier tonight the City of Washington closed Stewart Parkway, which runs along the city’s waterfront between Gladden and Market streets.

The Pamlico River is continuing to rise and has risen roughly 2 feet so far tonight.

Beaufort County is under a flood warning and a tornado watch.

There have been unconfirmed reports of tornadoes in the area, including a report of a tornado in Belhaven.

Belhaven Town Manager Guinn Leverett confirmed there had been damage from what may have been a tornado in the vicinity of Edgewater Motors.

There was extensive tree damage  and one mobile home was overturned, said Belhaven police Chief Fred Clingenpeel.

“There’s plenty of tree damage, that’s easy to spot, one trailer that was tossed about,” Leverett commented.

There were no reported injuries.

Asked whether the occupant of the mobile home was injured, Clingenpeel replied, “No, but they were shaken up.”

A quarter-mile stretch of road in the west part of town was closed due to downed power lines, according to Leverett.

A curfew takes effect at 12:01 a.m. in the city of Washington.

The curfew will end at 5 a.m. Saturday.

Until the state of emergency is lifted in the city, there will be a curfew from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly.