Sunday saw some of the heaviest rain ever to fall in South Carolina, with some areas of the state receiving over two feet. But there is a glimmer of light on the horizon because the rains are expected to taper off by tomorrow.
However, in the wake of the “once in a lifetime” rainfall amounts, there is devastation, flooding that will continue for several days and ongoing rescue efforts. On Monday, Governor Nikki Haley said the state is still not out of the woods yet. She has declared the state of South Carolina a “major disaster.”
CNN is reporting that at a news conference today, the governor said nine people have died in weather-related events. Over 2,700 calls for assistance have been logged, and 550 roads are closed. There are 11 counties under emergency orders. Over 40,000 people are without water and another 60,000 people are without power.
Earlier today, five hospitals in the Columbia area were under possible evacuation orders, but the governor told reporters that Wal-Mart stepped up and has supplied 80,000 bottles of water for the public’s use. Additionally, the Columbia Fire Department, working through the night, was able to bring in enough water so the hospitals won’t have to be evacuated.
South Carolina’s flooding — the geography
We have heard the term, “low country.” In reference to South Carolina, and it covers an area on the southern coast, including the sea islands, that is both cultural and geographical.
But it is the geography of South Carolina and the low country that has set in motion the historic flooding being seen. The term, “low country,” describes an area that includes the Sandhills, which run the width of the state from Aiken County to Chesterfield County.
The area above the Sandhills was called the “up country,” and the region below was called the “low country.” While there are variations in describing the geographic extent of the low country, it is commonly accepted that the counties of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper make up this area.
Here’s a simple explanation into what has happened. The 1,000-year rain event sent a deluge into the state, and when we add the storm surge and high tides from hurricane Joaquin to the picture, rivers and streams that would normally be running into the ocean suddenly had more water then they could handle.
That water has to go someplace, and naturally, it flows down hill, sort of like a slide, going from an elevation of 3,000 feet to sea level, all at once. If we add one more factor, land that already had absorbed all the water it could, then additional rain would run off, adding to the catastrophe.
Look at the map below. At the far left is Greer, with a little over six inches of rain. But as we move right, you can see an ever widening swath of rainfall amounts. Now picture a water slide, relentlessly moving on a downward slope. All that water ends up in the “low country.”
