Emergency Travel Restriction For Salem and Outlying Areas
According to Desi Alexander, Washington County Emergency Management Agency Director, Salem and parts of Washington County are under an Emergency Travel Restriction until further notice.
A number of water rescues are underway in the area as high water covers several roads.
Indiana State Police said officers are blocking State Road 56 at Heritage Chapel Road, just east of Salem.
There is no word on any reported injuries at this time.
This is due to several inches of rain falling this afternoon after severe thunderstorms moved through the area after 2p.
The sheriff’s department said they are concerned about additional rain coming into the area Friday night.
Residents are advised to stay home and avoid roadways.
This means law enforcement is asking residents not to be on City of Salem streets and on county roads until the flash flooding subsides.
Some of the areas affected are State Road 56 East by Heritage Chapel, Martinsburg Road and areas in and around Salem.
“Water Street is completely under,” said Alexander. “Seems like it’s concentrated on the area just outside of Salem. There are big lakes out there,” said Alexander. “We need people to go home and stay off the roads. The less people we have out now, the better.”
She said the Washington County Sheriff’s Department is closing roads in the area.
“If you get out, you’ll just be sitting in traffic,” she said.
In addition, a handful of Jackson County REMC customers were without power and over 1700 customers of Duke Energy in the Salem area.
The crash involved a mortuary services van transporting a deceased person and the only injury was the driver. 
