Debby Live Updates: Gov. McMaster says tropical storm is ‘not nearly over’ for SC
Tropical Storm Debby was lingering over the South Carolina coast Wednesday, but is expected to make a second landfall, bringing heavy rain to the Midlands, according to the National Weather Service. Parts of Columbia could see up to 6 inches of rain between Wednesday and Saturday morning, with parts of the Midlands expected to see up to 8 more inches. The region is still in a flood watch through Friday morning.
Here are the latest updates as Debby continues to impact South Carolina:
3 p.m. Department of Transportation reports closures
The South Carolina Department of Transportation reports there are 83 roads closed across the state as of Wednesday afternoon, mostly in the Lowcountry, but no interstates have been closed. Several ramps on Interstate 95 were closed because of standing water, but those ramps have since been reopened.
“We do anticipate some additional road closures as this event continues. Based on the current forecast we do not anticipate a need for transportation lifeline protection measures similar to those taken in 2018 during Hurricane Florence. However, we are closely monitoring the forecast and we are ready to respond to whatever the storm may bring,” Secretary of Transportation Justin Powell said Wednesday afternoon.
2:30 p.m. Debby impacts “not nearly over” McMaster says
Debby remained about 55 miles off the coast of Charleston on Wednesday afternoon but is expected to make a second landfall around the Charleston County coast Thursday morning. Crews are preparing for damage in the Pee Dee region when the storm makes its second landfall.
Gov. Henry McMaster said there have been no injuries reported as a result of the storm, but he stressed that residents should still brace for impacts from Debby, which has already dropped up to 17 inches of rain on the southern part of the state.
“This is not nearly over,” McMaster said during a press briefing Wednesday.
An estimated 64 homes have been damaged from the storm, with the majority of that damage in Colleton County. At least half a dozen businesses have also been damaged across the Lowcountry. As Debby turns back inland, the Midlands could see another six inches of rain, the National Weather Service reports. Flash flooding is still a concern in the region.
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety urged residents to avoid travel. That department fielded more than 600 calls for service Tuesday, largely in response to disabled vehicles and blocked roadways from downed trees.
2 p.m. Highway Patrol reports road closures
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is reporting at least one road in Richland County has been closed amid local flooding. Trooper William Bennett shared a photo of damage on Dubard Boyle Road between La Brew Drive S and Fairfield Road with a barricade blocking the street.
Highway Patrol Trooper Nick Pye, whose region covers Charleston, Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester, Beaufort and Jasper counties also shared an image of a damaged roadway, telling residents not to drive around barricades.
1:35 p.m. Columbia to open overflow shelter
The city of Columbia has opened it’s overflow shelter for residents experiencing homelessness as more heavy rain is expected in the Columbia area Wednesday evening and Thursday. The shelter at 191 Calhoun St. will open at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Those in need of the overflow shelter can get there via the COMET bus, which will begin transports to the shelter at 5 p.m. at the corner of Sumter and Laurel streets.
1:30 p.m. through 3 p.m. Schools announce Thursday closures
The Lexington-Richland 5 School District has canceled Thursday classes, including for its five virtual programs, the district announced Wednesday. All extra-curricular activities in the district have also been canceled. The district expects to hold its first day of school Friday.
Lexington School District 1 and the Richland County School Districts 1 and 2 have also announced Thursday classes will be canceled. Extra-curricular activities are also canceled in those districts. Richland 1 will have a 2-hour delay Friday.
Lexington School Districts 3 and 4 have also canceled in-person classes Thursday but will hold online classes. The Orangeburg County School District will also have e-learning Thursday.
Tropical Storm Debby remained off the Charleston coast Wednesday midday, but is expected to make a second landfall in South Carolina, bringing with it more rain and likely flooding into the Midlands.
11:45 a.m. Trees downed in Richland County
Downed trees are blocking three roadways in Richland County, the county reports. Public Works employees are working to clear trees on Circle Drive in Eastover, William Janie Simms Circle in Gadsden and Conn Street in Columbia. The county is asking drivers to avoid these areas until further notice. The county notes that it will provide updates on it’s Facebook page.
10:20 a.m. Gators in unusual places
Residents in Hilton Head have been spotting alligators in some curious places as rain drenched the South Carolina coast this week. An 8-foot gator was seen wandering the streets near Celebration Park in Hilton Head, and another gator was seen taking a dip in a resident’s pool, according to a report from the Island Packet. Parts of Hilton Head have seen roughly 8 inches of rain since Debby started.
10 a.m. Power outages continue
There were about 2,300 power outages being reported across the state as of 9:46 a.m. Wednesday, according to poweroutage.us, which collects power outage data from across the U.S.
That number of total outages was down from Tuesday, when the tropical storm began soaking South Carolina. There were more than 16,000 power outages at one point Tuesday morning.
In terms of providers, Dominion Energy reportedly had the most outages as of about 9:46 a.m. Wednesday, with 821. Dominion has about 800,000 customers in SC.
9 a.m. Lull in the rain but more expected
Tropical Storm Debby has moved off the South Carolina coast but is forecast to turn inland again Wednesday. It is expected to dump more rain on the Columbia area Wednesday night and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
More than 6 inches of rain fell Tuesday on the Midlands Tuesday, NWS hydrologist Leonard Vaughan told The State on Wednesday. Between 2-3 inches of rain was recorded Tuesday in parts of Columbia and Lexington, Vaughan said.
By Friday night, another 4-6 inches of rain could fall in the Midlands, with some areas receiving up to 8 more inches, according to the weather service. Flood watches remain in effect for Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, Sumter, Lee, Clarendon, Calhoun, Fairfield and Orangeburg counties in the Midlands.
“Today we’re not looking for as much rain across the area with Debby swirling off the coast,” Vaughan said. “But we do have more rain coming in tonight and on Thursday as Debby comes back in overnight and continues to move north to the Pee Dee and North Carolina on Thursday night.”
8 a.m. heavy rain causes sewer overflows
Multiple sewers have overflowed in the Columbia area because of the wet weather, according to the city of Columbia’s Wastewater Maintenance division.
Sewage has leaked into multiple bodies of water in Richland County, including the Saluda River, Lake Katherine and Reeder Point Branch Creek, Columbia Water officials said early Wednesday morning. Information on the amount of sewage that spilled into the bodies of water was not available.
Tuesday, rain impacts across the state, no injuries reported
Officials across the state spent Tuesday responding to storm impacts, which were heaviest in the Lowcountry but affected the Upstate and Midlands as well. Gov. Henry McMaster Tuesday afternoon said no injuries had been reported from the storm. Heavy damage was reported in parts of the Lowcountry. Columbia reported a number of closures and event cancellations. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division launched a hotline to take questions on Tropical Storm Debby. The city of Charleston enacted a curfew, which was lifted Wednesday morning. Read all of the news from Tuesday here.
Reporters for The State Noah Feit and Chris Trainor, and Island Packet Chloe Appleby and Evan McKenna contributed to this report
This story was originally published August 7, 2024 at 9:46 AM.
