Nantahala Gorge, NC – Update: NCDOT Western Mountains confirmed that they’re preparing to open U.S. 19/74 on Monday, August 27 around 8 p.m. after making strides in landslides clean-up.

August 24, 2019’s landslides in the Nantahala Ranger District have resulted in a temporary closure of U.S. 19/74. Officials put a detour in place for any travelers through the area.

The landslides occurred in the Swain County portion of the Nantahala National Forest on Saturday night and trapped dozens of rafters, campers, and those on the road. Luckily, no one was injured in the landslides that stretched for five miles across.

Crews freed all cars by Sunday morning on August 25.

The 2.8 inches of rain on Saturday caused the spillage of debris in four places onto the road between Hewitt’s Road and the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Crews have been working around the clock to clear the road of debris, but the road still isn’t expected to reopen until Tuesday. Officials cited the heavy rain coupled with dead tree debris for the cause of the landslides.

Detour information: Westbound vehicles will take NC 28 West to Steccoah, then NC 143 South to Robbinsville, then NC 129 South to Topton and US 19/74. Eastbound traffic goes in reverse.

All river rafting and kayaking operations on the Nantahala River have been temporarily suspended.

Photos courtesy of U.S. National Forests in North Carolina Facebook and NC DOT Twitter.