COLUMBIA, S.C. (Wedneday, September 19, 2018) – The South Carolina Emergency Response Team is monitoring and preparing for the water levels of rivers to rise. The forecast is for the Waccamaw, Lynches, Little Pee Dee and Big Pee Dee rivers to crest this weekend and into early next week
The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) continues to be fully operational, staffed by emergency personnel from multiple state agencies and emergency organizations. The SEOC will be operational 24 hours a day until further notice.
Residents should consider the following safety measures:
- People should avoid flooded roads and never move or drive around barricades.
- Flooding along rivers in the PeeDee region is expected to continue for several days.
- Residents should be prepared to leave their homes if told to do so by local public safety officials.
- Flood waters and standing waters pose various risks, including injury, infectious diseases, chemical hazards and should be avoided.
- Residents who have experienced damage can assist state and local agencies in the statewide damage assessment process.
- Use the damage assessment tool in the SC Emergency Manager mobile application to send a report to the S.C. Emergency Management Division.
As of 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, the Response Team has reported:
- Rivers are still rising and will continue to rise for a majority of the week.
- A task force is in Darlington County to assist with search and rescue operations, if needed. We continue to have teams on standby ready to respond.
- There is a large animal rescue team staged in Marion and two small animal rescue teams in Florence.
- I-95 northbound is now open from exit 181.The sandbagging operation on U.S. 501 has made great progress.
- State Fire reports teams assisted with 518 evacuations due to flooding.
- The National Guard has 2,581 personnel deployed across the state.
- There are approximately 800 power outages across the state.
- There are 10 general population shelters open and two special medical needs shelters open. There has been a steady decline of the number of people using the shelters; however officials have additional shelters on standby, ready to open if needed.
- The Department of Health and Environmental Control is continuing to monitor dams, water treatment and wastewater treatment plants.
- The Public Information Phone System has answered nearly 11,800 calls.
- Anyone interested in volunteering can go to volunteersc.org to register.
Residents should continue to monitor local media and official, verified social media accounts from public safety agencies for the latest information on the South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s website at scemd.org.