CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A highways official says 40 percent of the roads in Nicholas County remain closed due to downed trees and snow from Superstorm Sandy.

State Department of Transportation acting district engineer Steve Cole in Lewisburg says 80 employees are clearing roads in the county, where snows drifts of up to 5 feet have been reported and numerous roofs have collapsed.

Cole says much progress on the roads was made Wednesday night, and he hopes to have all roads open in the county by tonight.

He says crews were hampered earlier in the week by falling trees that clogged roads that had just been cleared.

Elsewhere in the state, about 33 roads remain closed, including 19 in Kanawha County. Also still closed is U.S. Route 250 in Barbour and Randolph counties.