Flooding has forced the Nebraska Department of Roads to close state Highway 65 in Pawnee County near the Kansas border in southeast Nebraska.

The U.S. Weather Service also has issued a flood warning for the area.

The service said up to 2 inches of rain on southeast Nebraska in the past 24 hours has filled creeks and other river tributaries. Light rain is expected later Friday and overnight.

On Friday morning the Big Nemaha River near Falls City was approaching flood stage of 23 feet and was expected to hit 26 feet by Friday evening.

The service said the Nemaha banks likely will overflow just east of town near U.S. Highway 159.

The river is expected to drop below flood stage by early Saturday.