Haley: 15 dead now, possible localized evacuations across the Lowcountry

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCIV) — There are 15 confirmed dead as a result of the floodwaters across the state, and Gov. Nikki Haley said Wednesday that attention was turning to the Lowcountry as water moved from the Midlands to the coast.

Haley said emergency responder teams were operating about 48 hours ahead of projected threats to have people evacuated and key property bolstered for a worst case scenario of more flooding.

“Things are getting better in the Midlands, things are about to get worse on the coast,” she said.

Currently, crews are looking at localized evacuations in Colleton, Dorchester, Charleston, Horry, Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg counties, specifically in the cities of Conway, Andrews, Givhans Ferry, Jamestown, and Georgetown.

The situations in many of those counties is already dire. The town of Kingstree in Williamsburg County has already been evacuated and the Black River continued to rise Tuesday night, days after local officials had hoped it would crest.

There are small, isolated communities across much of the Lowcountry where waters are so deep the residents there have to take boats to their homes.

In Colleton County, school district officials decided to open schools on a one-hour delay Thursday and Friday. However, school officials listed a series of flooded roads where buses cannot travel and told parents to get their students to the nearest paved roadway.

Those roads are: Altman Place, Lakeview Lane, Huckleberry Hill Lane, Rising Stage Lane, Meeting House Lane, Stanley Avenue, Salcrow Lane, LaDolce Avenue, and Jenkins Club Road.

Berkeley County students will also return to school on Thursday with a two-hour delay.

However, Dorchester District 4 officials said students would not return to school this week, but teachers and staff should try to report to their schools by 9 a.m. Thursday and Friday.

Currently in the City of Columbia, Haley said there are two immediate areas of grave concern: the Columbia canal and the Beaver dam. Haley said shoring up the Columbia canal is integral to getting water back to the city. Already, crews have placed 400 one-ton sandbags along the canal with plans to add about 350 to protect the water supply.

She said beaver dam is secure and stabilized at the moment, but was still and area of concern. A ray of sunshine in the area is the Lake Murray Dam, she said. All of the gates are closed and there will be no further releases from there.

Still, the state has had 13 failed dams and officials are monitoring 62 others. The dam breaches often result in significant road damages and blockades to keep people off the structurally compromised roadways and bridges.

But that’s not keeping some people away, Haley said, again calling on people to heed the warning of a blocked road. Using an example that apparently happened overnight, Haley said five people moved a barricade out of the way and traveled down a road that was shut down.

The roadway was dangerous and the group had to be rescued. Three people were saved — two are missing, she said.

“Yesterday I made it very clear that while the sun is out this event is not over. We have asked everyone not to move barriers, drive around barriers,” Haley said. “It’s closed because we are trying to protect you.”

Fifteen have died now.

Video courtesy of WCIV http://www.abcnews4.com/clip/11903197/haley-15-dead-from-floodwaters-evacuations-pending-in-many-lowcountry-counties
The situation on Interstate 95 has improved significantly overnight. Haley said what was a 74-mile closure between Charleston and Florence is now only a 13-mile closure around the town of Manning on one of the major East Coast interstates.

The response teams are growing, as well. Haley said Wednesday that 2,000 Department of Transportation members are surveying roads. There are 31 assessment teams and 200 engineers along with 3,000 National Guardsmen. There are plans to add another 2,000 Guardsmen in the coming days.

Still, the Highway Patrol is busy with calls for help. The agency has responded to nearly 5,000 service call, more than 2,100 of which are traffic collisions.

The Department of Natural Resources has made 600 rescues of stranded people and countless pets have been rescued since last week.

Haley says the shining light in all of the tragedy is South Carolina’s willingness to help. She said her office is flooded with calls from people who want to do volunteer or make a donation.

A special number has been set up for people to devote their time or materials. Call 1-888-585-9643.

“Neighbors helping neighbors and people helping strangers continues to be the love story of South Carolina. We are a people of compassion,” Haley said. “These events try to knock us down but they just bring us closer.”

Asked about how much longer the state would be under threat of further destruction and damage from the flood, Haley said it’s best to consider it in phases. For the Upstate, the people there are in recovery mode. In the Midlands and Lowcountry, the people are in response mode.

“For the next 24 hours, we’re holding our breath and saying a prayer,” she said. “From the beginning I said this was gonna hurt. What I do know is we are a strong state. We have a recovery mode that we will have to do.”

While many people are looking at their homes and FEMA teams work their way through the state, farmers and fishermen are looking at their livelihood. Haley said Wednesday that the shellfish industry was taking a hit.

She also said the peanut crop was wiped out in the floods.