Get ready for Hurricane Isaias. SC should prepare as storm churns north, state says.
South Carolina officials are urging people to begin preparations for Hurricane Isaias, a storm that is moving this way and could affect the state later this weekend.
The S.C. Emergency Management Division says people should review their own safety plans and consider what they would need to do if the storm threatens the state. That includes making sure people have enough water and food to sustain themselves for three days, the division said in a news release Friday.
“We’ve been watching Hurricane Isaias very closely over the past few days,” SCEMD Director Kim Stenson said, “There is still a lot of uncertainty in the forecast. It will be important for everyone to review their hurricane plans now and pay close attention to the forecasts over the weekend.’’
In addition to making sure bottled water and food rations are available, people should make sure they have flashlights, extra batteries, chargers, toiletries and changes of clothes, as well as sleeping bags and rain gear, the news release said. People should also have copies of birth certificates and insurance policies available, if needed, the release said. People should make sure cell phones are charged, the news release said.
As of mid-day Friday, Hurricane Isaias was forecast to move up the southeast coast from Florida over the weekend. It could make landfall and affect areas as far west as Columbia, impact only coastal areas such as Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island and Charleston, or it could stay well offshore, the forecast indicated. The forecast track indicates the Outer Banks of North Carolina could be hit.
Hurricane Isaias, if it made landfall, would be the first to affect South Carolina this hurricane season.
If the hurricane does land, it would be at a time when South Carolina and other states already are strained in dealing with Covid 19, the infectious disease that has killed more than 1,500 state residents since March.
“The South Carolina Emergency Response Team remains at Operational Condition Level Two for COVID-19 response and for Hurricane Isaias, Friday’s news release said.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said residents should take the virus into consideration when making preparations.
This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 1:16 PM.
