Durham County Declares State of Emergency

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Southpoint AccessWes Platt

Just three days after N.C. Gov. Josh Stein issued a state of emergency, Durham County is following suit as a winter storm is expected to damage public and private property, make travel hazardous, and may cause widespread disruptions of utilities, putting citizens at risk during extreme cold.

The declaration, in effect from Saturday through Jan. 31, delegates power to the Sheriff's Office to close streets, highways, roads, bridges, and other vehicular travel routes to maintain public order.

"Even in the absence of a formal closure, residents are encouraged to stay off of the roadways and to limit travel so they do not put themselves at risk, nor interfere with the efforts of emergency responders and repair crews," the declaration states.

Lee, after issuing the declaration on Saturday, said: "The latest forecasting indicates we will experience hazardous travel conditions, downed trees, and power outages during this period. The county encourages all of our residents to prepare accordingly and use caution until the event has passed."

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