ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has declared a State of Emergency due to flooding in sections of the Midlands and the Lowcountry.
Orangeburg was one of the hardest hit counties in the state, with some 100 road and bridge closures. Thursday night, there were still flooded ditches, roads with standing water and multiple road closures.
With so much damage across the county, the American Red Cross opened two evacuation shelters in Orangeburg County.
Orangeburg County Director of Emergency Services Billy Staley said before efforts can begin to repair and reopen roads, water levels need to recede.
“Currently, we have somewhere around 150 road closures. We anticipate that number to come down. Some of them were closed just because of water across the road, but we know we have a significant amount that have actual damage to the roadway,” Staley said.
"So, the focus has kind of shifted here from a lot of the tributaries to what the river is going to do. That forecast has been very dynamic throughout the day. Currently, our estimates for the river right now are somewhere between 14.5 ft to 15 ft crest sometime before morning. Now, we still want to encourage everybody. Please don't travel on the western end of the county unless you absolutely have to,” Staley said.
Because of the damage, shelters were opened Thursday evening at North High School and at the Orangeburg city gym.
Teams from the Red Cross, the South Carolina Department of Social Services and local recreation departments had doors open, waiting for anyone needed to take shelter for the evening.
Officials said both shelters would operate as evacuation shelters, meaning no meals or sleeping facilities would be offered unless conditions somehow became worse.