The hard storm that hit Lawrence County on Monday has closed state routes throughout the county.

Crews from the county Ohio Department of Transportation garage were out by 6 a.m. Tuesday checking for high water and debris that could cause road closures.

“Crews hadn’t received any reports during the overnight but knew Jackson was hit hard,” Kathleen Fuller, information officer for ODOT District 9, said.

“Crews started out in the early morning looking for potential closures and cleaning up debris.”

By mid morning Tuesday were the first restrictions where there was high water, but the road was kept open.

“It is just like a flash flood, it goes away quickly,” Fuller said. “You need to use caution. We were watching them closely, but by noon those turned into full closures.

State Route 775 was closed by noon on Tuesday but during the overnight was re-opened.

Closures and re-openings continued through the night as crews keep tabs on watch areas were tributaries and creeks are swelling.

As of 8 a.m. today the following roads are closed because of high water: State Route 218 at the 2.4-mile marker and the Lawrence-Gallia County line; State Route 217 between the 5.9 and the 6.5-mile markers, in the Joshua Hole area and the intersections of State Route 378; State Route 650 at the 9.0-mile marker at State Route 522; and

State Route 141 between the 19.0 and the 20.0-mile markers in the Waterloo area, near  Township Road 110 (Zalmon Road) and Township Road 197 (Coffee Tea Road).

ODOT crews continue to monitor these areas and say that it is prohibited to cross a closed route.