‘Storm of a Lifetime’ threatens Carolinas
Early in the week, roughly 1.7 million people in three states were warned to get out of the way of Hurricane Florence, a hair-raising Category 4 storm taking dead aim at the Carolinas with sustained winds of up to 140 mph, gusts up to 160 mph, and drenching rain that could last for days. Residents from
Florence has proven to be more difficult to predict than typical storms. Most of the earlier forecasts predicted a landfall around
A life-threatening storm surge--pushing 300 miles ahead of the storm's eye--will occur near landfall and for some time after. Tropical-storm-force winds may arrive along parts of the S.C. coast as early as Thursday, with hurricane force winds arriving Friday, and this storm could linger into early next week in parts of the Southeast. Hurricane and storm surge warnings are currently in effect from
"This will likely be the storm of a lifetime for portions of the Carolina coast," the
As of press time Wednesday,
"It's big and it's got the potential to be nasty," said
The county administrator reminds residents that
"Just use common sense. Don't get out and ride around, stay off the roads as much as possible."
S.C. preparation and response
S.C. Gov.
On
On Monday, McMaster ordered mandatory evacuations for all coastal S.C. counties beginning at noon on Tuesday. The governor also issued an executive order closing specific schools and state government offices in several counties to ease traffic and aid in evacuation efforts. Designated evacuation routes were reversed into one-way highways. Schools were closed in
But in a surprise announcement on Tuesday, McMaster lifted the mandatory evacuations for
Earlier in the week, S.C. officials stated that they had 2,702
As of
Residents should take the following safety precautions:
--Have a plan for where you will go if conditions become too unsafe to remain in your home. Know your evacuation zone by going to scemd.org or downloading the SC Emergency Manager mobile app. Prepare your home by boarding up windows and securing any items you have in your yard by taking them indoors. Make sure your car has fuel. Make sure you have some cash in case of power outages. Keep all of your important papers in a watertight bag. Check with your pharmacy to make sure all important medications are filled. Make plans for your pets that include extra food, collar, leash and a pet carrier. Refer to the preparedness checklists in the 2018 S.C. Hurricane Guide.
--The path of Hurricane Florence is uncertain, according to
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