Tropical Storm Debby inundated coastal Georgia and South Carolina with a deluge of rain that could flood Charleston, Savannah and other cities yesterday, a day after it slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast as a hurricane.
At least six people have died in Florida and Georgia in the wake of the storm, which is expected to linger over the southeastern and mid-Atlantic coasts for days.
Between 25cm and 51cm of rain was expected to fall along parts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina through Friday and cause catastrophic flooding, the National Hurricane Centre said. The governors of those states have declared states of emergency.
Cedrick King, a businessman from coastal Brunswick, Georgia, said he and his family packed up their belongings yesterday and were ready to make the five-hour drive to Atlanta. “We’re headed north, far away from this storm,” he said.
The storm featured 72kmph winds as it moved slowly just south of Savannah, Georgia, early yesterday morning. Heavy rainfall could cause flooding in parts of the mid-Atlantic, the centre said.
More than 20cm of rain have already fallen on Savannah and Valdosta, Georgia, the National Weather Service said. Charleston and Hilton Head, South Carolina, have received between 25cm and 30cm of rain so far, the weather service said, with more on the way.
Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said more than 61cm of rain is expected in his city before the storm passes. Even at low tide, storm surges of between 1.2 metres and 1.8m will prevent floodwaters from draining into the sea, he said.
There are ‘not enough pumps in the world’ to handle that much rain, Cogswell said. He has since extended a citywide curfew until this morning.
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