Unprecedented rainfall brought deadly floods to parts of South Carolina on Saturday 03 October and Sunday 04 October 2015.
Rainfall records have been broken. Some areas of South Carolina have seen over 20 inches (50cm) of rain since Friday 02 October 2015. Officials have since imposed a curfew and warned residents not to leave their homes in face of what has been described as a “once in 1000 years flood”.
The torrential rain is said to be part of a severe weather system brought by Hurricane Joaquin, which is expected to make landfall in Bermuda over the next 24 hours.
At least 7 people have died in weather related incidents in North and South Carolina since the heavy rain began on Friday 02 October 2015.
By late Saturday the rainfall had become particularly severe and 100s had to be rescued from stranded vehicles. Many have been forced from their homes by the floods, or left unable to return home with roads completely blocked. South Carolina Red Cross have set up 26 shelters in the area for those currently displaced by the floods.
Officials issued a curfew yesterday for Columbia and across two surrounding counties, and warned people to stay off roads and remain indoors until flooding had receded.
Nikki Haley, the South Carolina Governor said, “We cannot encourage you enough to stay home and stay off the roads so that our first responders and utility and maintenance crews can get their jobs done”.
Residents of Columbia have also been left without safe drinking water, and have been advised to boil all water before consumption. Power supplies have also been affected.
Once in a 1000 Years Flood
In response to the current flood situation and torrential rain, South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley, said:
“This flood disaster has been like nothing South Carolina has ever seen. Estimates indicate that this type of flooding occurs only once in a thousand years.”
Record Rainfall
National Weather Service Colombia said Columbia saw the the “wettest 1 and 2 day rainfall amounts since rainfall records began in Columbia in 1887.”
Below are some selected rainfall totals for South Carolina, from 02 October to 04 October 2015.
Further Warnings
NWS say that river levels are high and could cause further flooding. The rain and flooding are expected to persist in South Carolina, and are also likely to affect other parts of the East Coast.
NWS have issued several flash flood, flood and coastal flood warnings for parts of North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.
