As evacuations for coastal counties south of Charleston continue, Governor Haley addressed South Carolinians in her fourth press conference concerning Hurricane Matthew.
In reference to the I-26 lane reversal and evacuations out of Charleston, Haley said, “175,000 people have evacuated. We need more.” This number is only half of the number projected by SCEMD. Horry and Georgetown counties begin evacuations at noon on Thursday.
Thirty-eight shelters are open across the state. At the time of the press conference, there were 677 residents living in those shelters. There are four special needs facilities available and more to open, if the need exists. There are also pet shelters in place, ready to accept animals.
The top concerns are the projected storm surges, heavy wind and rain. “Our number one goal is to keep everyone safe,” Haley added. Winds gusts are expected to be at or above hurricane force, possible mainly along the coast. Tropical storm force winds could expand much farther inland and possibly persist for up to 18 to 24 hours.
For more information about shelter and evacuation information, go to SCEMD.org. Go to SCDOT.org or call 1-855-GO-SCDOT to find alternative routes while the interstate remains reversed. Also on the SCDOT website, view real-time cameras and see travel times.
Call the Team South Carolina tip line at 1-866-246-0133 if you do not have access to the Internet and need assistance.
