With evacuation alert, flooding woes linger in Bamberg County

MORE | Flooding brings out snakes, other critters

BAMBERG, S.C.. (WRDW/WAGT) - Bamberg County residents in the Edisto River basin were urged to evacuate immediately Friday afternoon as water levels rose.

The Code Red alert urged many to find shelter elsewhere.

“Rising waters pose an extreme danger. Seek higher ground or designated shelters now. Do not delay — leave the area for your safety,” said an advisory from Bamberg County officials. “Please be aware emergency responders may be unable to perform rescue missions. So far no one is requesting shelter.”

If needed, a shelter will be opened, but most people are staying with family , officials said.

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The evacuation is not mandatory but strongly encouraged in the area where some yards are already under 2 to 3 feet of water.

The water will keep rising, with water from the storm still finding its way into creeks and tributaries that empty into rivers.

In fact, the full impact may not be felt for about another week, officials warn.

State law enforcement agencies launched boat teams along parts of the Peedee, Edisto and Waccamaw rivers to see if anyone needed help.

BAMBERG COUNTY FLOODING:

In Bamberg County, some homes near the river aren’t reachable by normal vehicle. They have to be reached be a high-bedded truck or by boat.

Larry Still’s driveway was completely underwater.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much water at one time,” he said.

Several roads were closed, including Embree, Hope, Squirrel, Needle and Smoak Street.

During a record rainfall, how can you stay safe in floods?

The extreme weather we saw this week from Tropical Storm Debby shows it doesn’t take a catastrophic hurricane to cause significant damage. How can you stay safe?

Flooding was rampant along Union Church Road in Screven County on Aug. 8, 2024.

We went there, and they looked more like canals, filled with water running through the straight sides.

Squirrel Road was filled with tea-colored liquid, while Embree Road had more of a hot chocolate color – complete with swirls of froth on top.

Bridge Street on the Orangeburg County line was filled with swampy muck nearly 10 inches deep – with wildlife including spiders surfing through it. The gravel on the bottom – where you could see it – resembled a creekbed.