Committee: Horry, Marion counties at severe status

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s drought committee has determined the drought in Horry and Marion counties has reached severe status.

Farmers in Marion County report losing 70 percent of the corn crop and 50 percent of the hay crop, while Horry County is seeing one of its most dangerous summers for wildfires in a decade.

The Drought Response Committee also voted Thursday to put Lancaster, Kershaw, Lexington and Richland counties into moderate drought status.

The decision means 28 counties in the southern and eastern part of the state are in a moderate drought, while 16 counties, mostly north and west of Columbia, are in an incipient drought, which is the first stage.

Committee members say the extreme heat in South Carolina in the past six weeks has offset some of the spotty thunderstorms.