McMaster orders evacuations of barrier islands as Irma approaches

Gov. Henry McMaster ordered residents of barrier islands in three S.C. counties to evacuate late Friday, as weather experts warned of storm surges expected to accompany Hurricane Irma’s arrival.

Residents of barrier islands in Colleton, Beaufort and Jasper counties must leave their homes by 10 a.m. Saturday, two days before the Category 4 storm begins affecting South Carolina, McMaster said.

Officials said the order would affect fewer than 20,000 residents who live at:

▪  Edisto Beach in Colleton County;

▪  Hilton Head Island, Harbour Island, Hunting Island, Dafuskie Island and Fripp Island in Beaufort County;

▪  And Knowles Island and Tullifini Island in Jasper County.

“There will be no other evacuations for other counties,” McMaster said.

The Category 4 storm’s projected track – which once had the Palmetto State in its crosshairs – leaned west Friday and now is expected to churn through Florida and then Georgia.

However, it could bring storm surges of four to six feet to coastal counties in southern South Carolina, officials warned.

McMaster left the possibility of lane reversals up to law enforcement officials in those three coastal counties.

Officials have opened shelters for evacuees at Colleton Middle School in Colleton County, Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School in Jasper County and Bluffton and Battery Creek high schools in Beaufort County.

McMaster had left open the possibility of evacuations all week, as Irma approached southern Florida. The latest forecasts predict the storm to skirt along the state’s western border.

But weather experts warned Friday afternoon that some S.C. residents could see scattered tornadoes and up to 10 inches of rain.

Tropical-storm force winds also are possible in some areas of the Palmetto State on Monday, particularly south of Interstate 26 and in the western half of the Midlands.

Experts cautioned S.C. residents should expect power outages and possible damage to poorly built mobile homes, trees, signs and outbuildings. Heavy rains could lead to flash flooding or river flooding throughout next week.

State forecasters, however, remained uncertain of the storm’s path so many days out and cautioned that South Carolina residents should remain vigilant.

Major coastal flooding is possible, threatening to cut off many coastal areas, including routes to and from barrier islands, officials said.

This story was originally published September 8, 2017 at 7:53 PM with the headline "McMaster orders evacuations of barrier islands as Irma approaches."