Flooding continues, some residents can begin recovery

COLUMBIA, S.C.-The South Carolina Emergency Response Team is monitoring and preparing for the water levels of rivers to rise.

Currently:

• The Lynches River continues to rise south of Effingham, and is expected to crest today or into early Sunday.
• The Little Pee Dee River at Galivants Ferry has crested and is on its way down.
• The Waccamaw River, near Conway, has surpassed its previous record level and may crest Monday or Tuesday.

Residents should continue to monitor local media and official, verified social media accounts from public safety agencies for the latest information on the South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s website at scemd.org.

Residents should consider the following:

• Residents should be prepared to leave their homes if told to do so by local public safety officials.
• People should avoid flooded roads and never move or drive around barricades.
• Conway officials are asking motorists to limit travel in the area to essential traffic only.
• Flooded areas pose various risks, including injury, infectious diseases, and chemical hazards. Avoid flooded areas at all costs.
• For information on road closures and detours, visit scdot.org, call 5-1-1 or 1-855-GO-SCDOT (467-2368).
• Call the state’s Public Information Phone System at 1-866-246-0133 for all other questions regarding flooding and Hurricane Florence.
• Residents who’ve sustained damage and losses as a result of Hurricane Florence should first file a claim with their insurance company before contacting FEMA.
• Survivors who sustained losses in Dillon, Horry, Marion and Marlboro counties can apply for federal assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Additional counties could be added soon.
• Anyone interested in volunteering can go to volunteersc.org to register.

As of 2 p.m., Saturday, the state Emergency Response Team has reported:

• Florence County has issued a mandatory evacuation for approximately 4,900 residents in flood-prone areas.
• The South Carolina Department of Transportation has reported 150-200 road closures, including 32 primary roads and 56 bridges due to Hurricane Florence.
• There are search and rescue teams as well as animal rescue teams staged in several counties ready to assist, as needed.
• There are 16 general population shelters open and currently housing 204 people. The S.C. Dept. of Social Services and the Red Cross have placed additional shelters on standby, ready to open if needed.
• SCEMD has received more than 1,200 requests for resources from local emergency managers.
• The Public Information Phone System has answered nearly 13,000 calls.

The State Emergency Operations Center continues to be fully operational, staffed by emergency personnel from multiple state agencies and emergency organizations. The SEOC will be operational 24 hours a day until further notice.