A 12-year-old boy is missing after he was swept away by rushing water in Albemarle County this evening.
Following more than three hours of rescue efforts, first responders are now pausing the search due to limited visibility in the overnight hours and for the safety of all involved.
The boy was walking outside in the area of Newtown Road and Valley Green Drive when he was swept away by rushing water that had overtaken the roadway from a nearby creek.
Career and volunteer units with Albemarle County Fire Rescue and officers with the Albemarle County Police Department responded to the call at approximately 5:30 p.m.
The search will resume during daylight hours on Wednesday.
A flash flooding alert was sent out by the National Weather Service in Sterling this evening for Albemarle, Augusta and Nelson counties. The alert warned of life-threatening conditions that were ongoing or expected to begin shortly. The warned area includes Crozet, Crimora, Wintergreen, Afton, Nellysford, Greenwood, Yancey Mills, Batesville and Greenfield.
Heavy thunderstorms were bringing rainfall up to 2.5″ per hour, according to the alert.