BOWMAN, S.C. — Tuesday’s storm left damage in several parts of Orangeburg County.
Patsy Rhett is the mayor of Bowman and says this storm was eye opening for many residents in town.
“Well I think the damage that was sustained and the winds and the rain and stuff that we got,” said Mayor Rhett. “Think it got a lot of people’s attention. And those who weren’t prepared this time will probably be better prepared the next time and I hope we don’t have a next time, but that’s in God’s hands. So any kind of efforts that we can make to make sure that we are prepared and we are safe I think the public will be well aware of.”
Jasmine Summers was at work when she received a call from her mom that her roof had blown off while she was watching her two-year-old and seven-year-old children.
“It was terrifying because I work in Columbia, Bowman to my job is an exact hour and it was still raining because we lost power at my job thankfully around that same time,” said Summers. “We was able to get off early so I still had to drive through the rain and what I’m thinking could be still tornadic activity trying to get to them so it was terrifying.”
Billy Staley is the Director of Emergency Services and warns resident with damaged properties to prepare for wet days to follow.
“The best thing I can encourage everyone to do is if you have damage to your home try to tarp it and protect it from the elements there will be more rain moving in on Friday,” said Staley.
Summers says residents should take storm warnings seriously.
“Don’t be naïve thinking oh it’s just a little storm it’s just going to pass over, take the precaution,” said Summers. “If it says winds, high winds and things of that sort especially if you’re in a mobile home or something like that definitely just go somewhere just for the time being just until it passes over because like my mom said her biggest fair was she thought that, that tornado was going to come in the house and she and she was here with just the children and I mean it something scary to think about because it could have been worse.”
Residents with damages to their properties in Orangeburg are being encouraged to report it to the county’s emergency service’s website.