South Carolina flood: Swamped streets, hundreds of rescues, more door to door searches next

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Days of torrential rains kept much of South Carolina and its capital gripped by floodwaters early Monday as emergency workers promised renewed door-to-door searches for anyone still trapped after a weekend deluge and hundreds of rescues.

At least seven weather-related deaths have been blamed on the vast rainstorm.

Heavy rain kept falling into the early hours Monday around the Carolinas from the storm that began swamping the Southeast late last week, part of an unprecedented low pressure system that dumped more than 18 inches (45 cms) on one spot in Columbia, South Carolina’s capital.

The rainstorm dumped so much water on South Carolina and parts of several surrounding states that weather experts said they were astonished.

Historic rain in South Carolina has led to several deaths, and flooding isn’t over yet. http://t.co/PCRtr2itGX pic.twitter.com/PwrKKbpElo

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) October 5, 2015

“The flooding is unprecedented and historical,” said Dr. Marshall Shepherd, a meteorologist and director of the atmospheric sciences program at the University of Georgia, in an email to The Associated Press.

He said the unique double punch of the upper level low – aided by a “river” of tropical moisture in the atmosphere from Hurricane Joaquin spinning far out in the Atlantic – gave the monster rainstorm its punch.

Joaquin pounded Bermuda on Sunday before moving north.

South Carolina flood is the type of event climate scientists have warned us about for years http://t.co/K8FsoxMoIX pic.twitter.com/KUhap6zMS9

— Mashable (@mashable) October 5, 2015

All flights to the island’s L.F. Wade International Airport were cancelled on Sunday and ferry service was closed due to rough seas. Emergency service agencies were placed on alert and there were scattered power outages.

In South Carolina, the flooding forced hundreds of weekend rescues and threatened the drinking water supply for hundreds of thousands in Columbia, with officials there warning some could be without potable water for days because of water main breaks. Electrical outages affecting thousands also were reported.

Meanwhile in Darlington County #SouthCarolina #Flood pic.twitter.com/yIWhNTlRIp

— Hey Youth Guys (@HeyYouthGuys) October 3, 2015

After a nightmarish weekend marked by scenes of swift-water rescues, bridge washouts and small dams giving way, reality was setting in Monday as people waited and hoped for the rains to ease. Some reports indicate the sun could peek out Tuesday. Many recovery tasks lay ahead.

Several schools and colleges, including the University of South Carolina, cancelled classes Monday and some businesses planned to stay shuttered.

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Bruce Smith in Charleston, South Carolina; Mitch Weiss in Greenville, South Carolina; Jonathan Drew in Durham, North Carolina; Josh Bell in Bermuda, David McFadden in Haiti; Susanne Schafer in Columbia; and Meg Kinnard in Blythewood, South Carolina.