Staying afloat in torrential rain

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Did you know, that half of all flood-related drownings occur when someone drives a car into flooding? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also finds, the next highest percentage affects those people who walk into or near flooding. When the National Weather Service at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport issues an emergency flood warning, listen. NWS forecaster Jeff Linton says it takes less than two feet of water to move a car. Thursday, he says we saw two to three inches in less than three hours. Linton says before sending out the warning, they saw rising numbers in flood-prone areas of downtown Columbia. Irmo and Lexington-based insurance agent Robert Rice says if you find yourself stuck in your car in flood waters, call your agent. As long as you have comprehensive, you’re covered. “You don’t know anything about it, it’s not planned, it just happens,” Rice says. When it comes to your house, you need flood insurance, otherwise, you’re out of luck. Regular homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding from outside. Rice says between 2010 and 2014, the average claim was 42-thousand dollars. Mortgage companies require that houses in flood plains have flood insurance. If you’re not in a zone that’s prone, getting flood insurance for the year costs between $300 and $400. If you’d like more information about flood insurance, just head to floodsmart.com.