President Joe Biden says he will visit Hurricane Helene-impacted areas this week as long as it does not disrupt rescue and recovery operations.
According to Saluda County Fire Service, 53-year-old Chief Chad Satcher, and 18-year-old Firefighter Landon Bodie were killed on Friday morning when a tree fell on their Fire Apparatus while responding to a reported structure fire.
According to the SC Department of Public Safety, 25 South Carolinians are confirmed dead as of noon on September 29th.
In addition to the high wind speeds, much of the state also is still reeling from flash flooding which started Thursday here in the Midlands.
ABC Columbia is giving an update on the weather as the Midlands deals with damage from Helene which moved through the south on Thursday and Friday.
Gov. Henry McMaster and state officials are holding a press conference on Tropical Storm Helene on Friday, Sept. 27.
ABC Columbia’s Tyler Ryan is keeping the Midlands updated as Helene passes through the state.
Emergency workers in Florida, Georgia and elsewhere rescued hundreds of people from boats, their homes and their cars as Hurricane Helene’s winds, rain and storm surge created havoc Friday on the Gulf of Mexico, in coastal neighborhoods and further inland.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is expanding the hours of its public information Care Line starting on Friday, said DPH.
Columbia is experiencing heavy rain as Hurricane Helene moves along the coast which could possible lead to heavy flooding and fallen trees.
