COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Saturday afternoon, parts of Five Points went from dry to underwater in a matter of minutes.
Zoe Herold, who works at Vestique on Harden Street, said she's never seen anything like it.
"I was nervous and really shocked because I didn't know Five Points can get like this," Herold said. "No one blocked these roads so every time a car would pass it was like an ocean, there was a wave crashing into the windows."
Steve Cook, president of the Five Points Association, says they are looking at other methods to fix the problem.
"One of the issues we talked with the city over the years and we think would help would be to install temporary ballers, that bop up in these scenarios it happens so quickly and it's gone thirty minutes later, if we could find a way to help block off traffic a) for public safety so no one can get through there, and b) so it stops pushing water into the stores there, that's one of the solutions we're working on."
The Five Points Association is not alone in trying to stop the problems.
Robert Yanity with Columbia Water says the city has been working on plans to prevent this from continuing.
"We've got a project on Rocky Branch Creek by Maxcy Greg Park to help improve the creek bank there as well as open up more storage water there. We do have a plan in place, but when you have an intense rainfall like that, you'll see it from time to time, it's just the nature of Five Points."
As for Vestique, Herold says they are left with damage but they hope this is the end.
"We do have flood insurance, so we're not sure if we have to pay for the damages, but we do have to get new floors and everything, but I guess the good news is none of our merch was damaged."