President Declares Major Disaster in SC, 13 Counties to get Aid

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COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)–President Barack Obama declared a major disaster exists in the State of South Carolina and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in 13 counties most severely affected by Hurricane Matthew.

Federal disaster aid is not available for individual residents at this time, according to SC EMD.

State Emergency Officials say on October 10, Governor Haley formally requested a disaster declaration from the White House for Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Jasper, Marion, and Williamsburg counties. Her request followed an assessment of damages by representatives of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, affected electric co-operatives, and local and municipal governments.

Tuesday South Carolina continues to recover from Hurricane Mathew with responders all across the state working on rescue, recovery and power.

Governor Nikki Haley updated the state of the operations from SC EMD Tuesday.

Haley says there are Damage assessment teams on the ground in coastal counties, utility crews working around the clock and FEMA officials in South Carolina.

Haley says there are over 200,000 customers without power, the hardest hit areas are in Horry and Beaufort counties.

Officials are closely monitoring the rivers, including the Pee Dee and Waccamaw.

The National Guard is conducting water rescue and patrols and major operation are also taking place on Edisto Island.

From the SC EMD: Hazardous conditions still exist in many parts of coastal and inland counties:

• Avoid flood waters or standing water. Do not use area streams, rivers or the ocean for drinking, bathing or swimming due to the possibility of bacteria, waste water, or other contaminants. Avoid wading through standing water due to the possibility of sharp objects, power lines, or other hazardous debris that may be under the surface.
• Do not use generators indoors. Running generators in homes, garages, or other closed areas can lead to increased levels of carbon monoxide, which can be fatal and may cause death.
• Be sure tap water is safe to consume. Watch for boil water advisories on your local news or call your water utility.  Use only bottled or stored water until it is determined that the water is safe to drink. If water is not safe to drink, boil water vigorously for at least one minute and then cool before use.

Boil Water Advisories

For information on boil water advisories, visit the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) website, scdhec.gov

 Private well assistance

The S.C. Dept. of Health and Environmental Control is waiving testing fee for private wells. Residents with questions about private wells should call 803-898-4312.

Debris Clean-up

Homeowners can call 1-800-451-1954 request volunteers from Helping Hands to assist with debris clean up and mold mitigation.