DEBBY LATEST 9:30 a.m.Fri. Aug. 9
BE AWARE OF OVERNIGHT FLOODING, BERKELEY COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED TODAY
(From Berkeley County Government)
Many areas across Berkeley County are experiencing severe flooding and several roadways are closed. Find a list of road closures at https://berkeleycountysc.gov/road-closures/?pagenum=2 . Rescue operations have been ongoing throughout the early morning hours on Friday. Please do not drive through flooded roads or around barricades.
An emergency shelter is open at Berkeley Middle School, located at 320 N. Live Oak Drive in Moncks Corner.
All Berkeley County offices will be closed today, Friday, August 9, 2024. This also includes the Courthouse, Berkeley Animal Center, Cypress Gardens, Library branches, the Berkeley County Landfill, and Convenience Centers.
Bond court will still hold a session today at 2 p.m.
Berkeley County has transitioned back to OPCON 1 status with full activation of the Emergency Operations Center.
UPDATED Thursday, Aug. 8, 11:15 a.m.
TRASH COLLECTION UPDATE
(From the City of Charleston via Daniel Island Property Owners Association. Thank you POA.)
Following a last-minute assessment of conditions at the Berkeley County landfill, it has become necessary to adjust our collection schedule. The recent heavy rainfall has led to water-logged conditions at the landfill, which will have a ripple effect across all areas of the City of Charleston.
Key Updates:
Trash (yard debris) collection has been canceled for the week and will resume on Monday, August 12.
Garbage collection schedules have been modified. The revised schedule for the rest of the week is as follows:
Daniel Island:
Tuesday's routes will be collected on Friday, August 9.
Inner West Ashley, Peninsula, and James Island:
Tuesday's garbage collection is canceled. Service will resume on Tuesday, August 13.
Wednesday routes will be collected on Friday, August 9.
Thursday routes will be collected on Saturday, August 10.
Outer West Ashley and Johns Island:
Tuesday's collection is canceled. Service will resume on Tuesday, August 13.
Wednesday routes are canceled and will resume on Wednesday, August 14.
Thursday routes will be collected on Friday, August 9.
Friday routes will be collected on Saturday, August 10.
We apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause and appreciate your patience as we navigate this situation. The City of Charleston is fully prepared to resume regular services as soon as possible and will continue to work closely with Berkeley County to address the conditions impacting our schedule.
For further updates or to report any issues, please visit the City of Charleston’s official website or contact our Citizen Services Desk at 843-724-7311.
UPDATED Thursday, Aug. 8, 8 a.m.
FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - CHARLESTON, 7:45 A.M., THURSDAY, AUG. 8 :
UPDATED Wednesday, Aug. 7, 5 p.m.
The Daniel Island News has compiled the latest on Debby, including county government reopenings and trash collection.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 5 P.M STATEMENT:
Debby is likely making landfall along the middle South Carolina coast on Thursday.
Heavy rain continues. Considerable flooding remains possible. There will an extended period of major flooding along larger main stem rivers that will continue well after Debby moves away from the region.
Flood Warning continues for Berkeley, Dorchester, Charleston counties until Wednesday, 6:45 p.m.
Flash flood warning issued for Colleton and Dorchester counties until 9:45 pm.
Flood watch until August 9 at 8 a.m.
Tropical Storm Warning continues.
Please monitor local rivers as the continued rain may contribute the water to crest.
The National Weather Service in Charleston has confirmed an EF-1 tornado in Moncks Corner and an EF-0 tornado occurred in Kiawah Island, SC - both on August 5.
CITY OF CHARLESTON:
The city-wide curfew in the Charleston peninsula has been lifted.
City of Charleston Garbage Collection: Garbage collection will resume on Thursday on a modified schedule but is subject to change based on landfill conditions.
For those on Daniel Island with Capital Waste: Tuesday routes will be run on Thursday. City council member Boyd Gregg in a social media post said, "That applies to the Park Side and neighborhoods up Clements Ferry Road. Please spread the word."
BERKELEY COUNTY:
All Berkeley County Government offices will reopen for normal business hours on Thursday, August 8. The landfill will be open for extended hours on Saturday, August 10 from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The Berkeley Count courthouse will be in full operation Thursday, August 8.
Berkeley County Government: "We urge the public to please report any roadway outages or obstructions so that our crews can work to reopen them as quickly as possible."
CHARLESTON COUNTY:
Charleston County offices will reopen Friday, Aug. 9.
VA HOSPITAL:
VA Hospital Status for Thursday, August 8:
STATUS FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 8th:
- Downtown VA Medical Center – Open
- Hinesville, GA VA Clinic – Open
- Savannah, GA VA Clinic – Open
- Beaufort VA Clinic – Open
- Trident Annex – Open
- North Charleston VA Clinic – Open
- Myrtle Beach VA Clinic – Open
- Goose Creek VA Clinic – Closed
UPDATED Wednesday Aug. 7, Noon
The Macedonia Middle School shelter is now closed.
Berkeley High School (406 W. Main Street in Moncks Corner) remains open as an emergency shelter. Cots, food, and water will be provided. Please bring bedding and any necessary medications.
Bus transportation to Berkeley High School will run 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. unless conditions change. See pickup locations below:
• Hanahan High School - 6015 Murray Drive, Hanahan
• Cainhoy Fire Department - 1004 United Drive, Huger
***Medical needs: If you or a loved one needs to utilize a medical needs shelter, please call the SC Department of Public Health’s Careline at 855-472-3432.
UPDATED Wednesday, Aug. 7, 9 a.m.
CITY-WIDE CURFEW IN CHARLESTON LIFTED
As of 7:30 am, Charleston city officials have lifted the curfew on the peninsula and main thoroughfares leading into city have reopened. Charleston city operations will return to normal Friday, but officials caution that expected rain, softened soil, and anticipated winds still pose a risk to downed trees and power lines.
UPDATED Tuesday, Aug. 6, 5:30 p.m.
FORECASTERS CAUTION WEATHER IMPACT IS NOT OVER:
The 5 p.m. update from the National Weather Service:
Flash Flood Warning continues through 10:30 p.m for Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester Counties.
The Tropical Storm Warning continues for the Charleston area, including Daniel Island and Cainhoy.
The Storm Surge Warning is discontinued for the area from Savannah River, Georgia to South Santee River, South Carolina.
Please click on the links for the latest information.
Flood Watch until August 9, 08:00 AM EDT
Hurricane Local Statement
Tropical Storm Warning
Flash Flood Warning until August 6, 10:30 PM EDT
UPDATED Tuesday, Aug. 6, 4 p.m.
BERKELEY COUNTY ALERT (HUGER, SC area): Water levels along French Quarter Creek near Huger are approaching major flood stage. Flash flooding is likely ongoing. At 12.5 ft the first level of many homes along the creek will be inundated with 1-2ft of water. Take action now! #chswx (Courtesy: National Weather Service - Charleston)
UPDATED Tuesday, Aug. 6, 3:30 p.m.
An alert for residents living in the Huger area of Berkeley County from the National Weather Service - Charleston:
"ALERT: Water levels on French Quarter Creek near Huger still steadily rising. Flash flooding is expected to begin soon for areas near the creek. Residents on French Quarter Creek Road should remain on alert. At 11.5 ft, water will begin to flood the first level of homes."
Bus transportation to shelters in Berkeley County will run 9-5 p.m. daily, including from the Cainhoy Fire Department, unless conditions change. Pickup locations below:
- Hanahan High School - 6015 Murray Drive, Hanahan
- Pine Ridge Fire Department Station 2 - 1046 Jedburg Road, Summerville
- Cainhoy Fire Department - 1004 United Drive, Huger
- Cross High School - 1293 Old Hwy. 6, Cross
UPDATED Tuesday, Aug. 6, 12:30 p.m.
BERKELEY COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED TODAY AND TOMORROW, WED., AUG. 7
Latest Weather Alerts as of 12:30 pm, Tuesday, Aug. 6:
Flood Watch until August 9, 08:00 AM EDT
Flash Flood Warning until August 6, 4:30 PM EDT
Tornado Watch until August 6, 05:00 PM EDT
UPDATED Tuesday, Aug. 6, 10:15 a.m.
11 P.M. CURFEW IN CHARLESTON PENINSULA EXTENDED THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
Charleston Mayor William Cogswell announced this morning he has extended the 11 p.m. curfew in the Charleston peninsula through Wednesday morning. The curfew will remain in effect tonight at 11 p.m., and will be reevaluated Wednesday morning.
"The reality is that nobody should be out in the streets in these conditions unless it is an absolute emergency. Bottom line is we need you to stay home untll this passes," Cogswell said. "We especially don't need any yahoos driving through the water and causing damage to property. So please stay home."
Cogswell said curfew violations were issued last night, but said within the peninsula there were no overnight rescues and no reports of injuries to residents or emergency responders.
Police officials also emphasized that drivers who are on the road do not drive around police barricades.
UPDATED Tuesday, Aug. 6, 9:00 a.m.
POTENTIALLY HISTORIC RAINFALL BRINGS AREAS OF CATASTROPHIC FLOODING THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY MORNING, according to the latest update from the National Weather Service.
Impacts will continue through mid-to-late week. Tropical storm force winds, storm surge, and some tornadoes also possible for portions of the area.
STORM SURGE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT.
TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT.
* LOCATIONS AFFECTED
- Daniel Island
- Red Bank Landing
- Cainhoy
* TORNADO - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST:
Tornado Watch is in effect
Situation is somewhat favorable for tornadoes
* FLOODING RAIN - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Flood Watch is in effect
Peak Rainfall Amounts: Additional 8-12 inches, with locally higher amounts
UPDATED Monday, Aug. 5, 9:45 p.m
ALERT: CITY-WIDE CURFEW IN CHARLESTON BEGINS 11 PM MONDAY NIGHT
Charleston city officials said at 11 p.m. Monday night, access to the peninsula will close as a city-wide curfew takes effect.
City officials said main thoroughfares leading into the peninsula will be closed by emergency responders starting at 11 p.m.
The Charleston Police Department has been erecting barricades on vulnerable streets since 8 p.m. City officials strongly advise residents to stay home tonight and throughout tomorrow.
The following thoroughfares to the peninsula will be closed:
From Mount Pleasant:
- 17 and E Bay St.
- 17 and Meeting St.
- 17 and Crosstown
From I-26:
- I-26 and Mount Pleasant St.
- I-26 and Rutledge Ave 26 and Crosstown
From West Ashley:
- Savannah Hwy and Lockwood
- Savannah Hwy and Crosstown
From James Island:
- SC-30 and Calhoun St.
From North Charleston:
- Meeting Street Extension
- King Street Extension
UPDATE: Charleston cancels meetings, garbage pick up
Tropical Storm Debby was downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane after it made landfall in Florida during the early morning hours.
The City of Charleston released these updates on storm preparations Monday afternoon:
Severe Flooding Expected: Tropical Storm Debby is expected to deliver 10-20 inches of rainfall across the region, with up to 30 inches possible in some areas, according to the National Weather Service Charleston. Rain will begin on Monday, with the heaviest rain anticipated on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The storm's primary concern is its potential to stall over Charleston, causing extended periods of heavy rainfall and severe flooding.
Residents Urged to Stay Home: Officials advise residents to prepare today for Tropical Storm Debby and stay home once the storm arrives. Avoid roadways during heavy rainfall and do not drive around barricades or on flooded streets. Use this link for road closures, damage reports, garage locations, and more. Move valuables, medicine, and important documents to higher ground or a waterproof container. Residents in low-lying, flood-prone areas should consider relocating to higher ground, especially those in single-story homes on slabs. Be aware that wet ground and soil conditions could cause trees to fall. Act promptly, as evacuating a flooded property once roads are impassable is not advisable.
Collection Services: Trash collection is canceled for this week. No garbage collection will occur on Tuesday and Wednesday (subject to change). Residents should secure their trash, garbage, and recycling bins and remove them from the street.
City Offices Closing Monday: All City Offices closed today, Monday, Aug. 5, at 3 p.m. and will reopen Friday during normal operating hours (subject to change). All public meetings at the City of Charleston are canceled for the remainder of the week. The Municipal Court at the City of Charleston is closed until Friday.
Press Conference This Evening: Mayor William Cogswell, Police Chief Chito Walker, and Fire Chief Dan Curia will hold a press conference today at 6 p.m. in the Public Meeting Room at 2 George Street. The public can view the press conference on the City of Charleston’s official YouTube Channel.
Emergency Shelter and Transportation: A general population and pet shelter is open at the Charleston County Sheriff’s Administration Building (3841 Leeds Ave). Individuals can access the shelter via normal CARTA routes.
Parking Garages Open: The St. Phillip garage, located at 34 St. Phillip Street, has been added to the list of parking garages open for free during the storm until Friday at 8 a.m. Charleston County has also opened parking garages for free at 90 Cumberland Street and 85 Queen Street.
Residents should move their vehicles to these higher ground locations to avoid flood damage. The following city garages are open for free:
• St. Phillip Street garage (34 St. Phillip Street)
• Aquarium parking garage (24 Calhoun Street)
• Visitor Center parking garage (63 Mary Street)
• 99 WestEdge parking garage (99 West Edge Street)
• Charleston Tech Center parking garage (997 Morrison Drive)
• East Bay/Prioleau parking garage (25 Prioleau Street)
To take advantage of free parking, residents must press the call button upon exiting and inform the operator they are using the free storm parking.
Sandbag Distribution: As of 11:00 a.m., the city has distributed over 32,000 sandbags to residents. Distribution will continue today until supplies run out or weather conditions worsen. Residents should bring their own shovels, and a limit of 10 bags per residence will apply. The distribution site on Daniel Island is at Governors Park parking lot near the dog park on Seven Farms Drive.
Citizens Services Desk: The Citizens Services Desk is operating 24 hours a day starting Monday, Aug. 5. Residents can call or email with non-emergency questions or requests at 843-724-7311 or citizenservices@charleston-sc.gov. Spanish-speaking services available through Charleston County Government at 843-746-3909.
Updated Aug. 5, 2024 2:45 pm
Berkeley County Sheriff’s office prepares for storm impacts
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office is preparing for ‘historic flooding’ ahead of Tropical Storm Debby’s arrival to South Carolina. Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis held a command staff meeting Monday morning to prepare BCSO’s Hurricane Incident Action Plan. Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office will ensure that there are extra deputies on the road to assist with any storm impacts.
The Citizen Call Line (843-719-4800) is currently operational 24/7 for non-emergency calls ONLY. Callers will hear an automated response with Berkeley County storm prep information. For all emergency calls, please call 911.
For an updated list of road closures, if they occur, citizens can download the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office app here.
Residents are urged to not wait until the last minute to prepare. For Hurricane preparation tips and more useful information, you can download the 2024 Berkeley County Hurricane Guide here.
Updated Aug. 5, 2024 12:55 p.m.
From the Daniel Island Property Owners’ Association: Closures of parks, pools, and offices
The Daniel Island Property Owners’ Association issued the following on community preparations for Hurricane Debby.
- All three of the Daniel Island Community pools (Scott Park, Pierce Park and Edgefield Park) closed at 12 p.m. today, Aug. 5th. The pools will remain closed until further notice. Once the storm passes, the POA Field Ops team and the pool contractors will need to inspect the pools and pool areas for safety before they can be reopened. Please refrain from entering the pool areas at any time.
- No closures of the Ralston Creek or Beresford Creek Boat Landings are planned at this time.
- Please check around the entire perimeter of your home, unit or business and secure or bring inside or secure any exterior items such as flag poles, sandwich board signs (in the commercial area), trash cans, yard debris or other items placed at the curb, planters (both hanging and potted), yard art, furniture, grills, bird feeders, basketball hoops, sports goals and other play/recreational equipment and any other loose household items that could damage your property or neighboring properties.
- The POA Office will be closed today, Aug. 5, at noon and will remain closed until Monday, Aug. 12. All staff will be working remotely. They will be accessible via email. The Field Operations team has been working diligently to prepare the island for impact. They will return to the island when it is safe to do so.
- In the event you lose electricity, notify Dominion Energy of power outages online.
- For downed power lines, tree limbs, trees or other large debris that you may encounter in the streets or roads, please call 911 to report them. Downed or damaged City street trees, which are located between the curb and sidewalk that are non-emergent, should be reported to the City of Charleston Citizens Services Desk at 843-724-7311 or online.
- Any tree on someone’s personal property or in the right of way in front of their property is their responsibility to remove if fallen. If a tree must be removed, please send a picture to info@dicommunity.org along with the species of tree if known. This information is helpful should the tree need to be replaced.
- For all other issues regarding POA maintained property, for example, boat landings, pools, trails, parks (other than Governors, Freedom or Etiwan), common areas, or ponds, please email info@dicommunity.org. Any information you can send, including address/location of the issue and a photo of the problem is appreciated. If email is not working, please call Chris Hamil, operations manager, at 843-696-4676.
- Trash service for yard waste has now been suspended for the week. Please remove any yard waste from the street if you have already placed it out. Regular garbage collection will run a normal schedule on Monday, Aug. 5. A decision is pending if collection will occur on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
- Street sweeping will begin to remove debris from streets and storm drains. Crews will continue their work provided conditions remain manageable. There is no set schedule on when this will occur on Daniel Island so residents are asked to please park cars in their driveways.
For continuing POA updates and important contact lists, check their website.
Berkeley County Prepares for Hurricane Debby
Berkeley County Emergency Management officials continue to monitor the storm and prepare for potential impacts. The County is currently under a Tropical Storm Watch and Storm Surge Warning. Tropical Storm Watch means tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within 48 hours. Storm Surge Warning means there’s a danger of rising water reaching inland areas within 36 hours.
Debby is likely to be a heavy wind and rain event for Berkeley County, including historic flooding throughout the week. The heaviest rainfall is expected to occur Wednesday and Thursday. Find all storm updates online.
CLOSURES: There are no scheduled County closures at this time. All Berkeley County facilities will remain open and operating by normal schedules on Monday, Aug. 5.
OPERATING CONDITIONS: The County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) moved to OPCON 2, partial EOC activation, at 8 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 5. OPCON 2 means a disaster or emergency is likely to affect the County, and emergency operations plans are implemented.
CITIZEN CALL LINE: The Citizen Call Line (843-719-4800) is currently operational 24/7 for non-emergency calls ONLY. Callers will hear an automated response with Berkeley County storm prep information. For all emergency calls, please call 911.
SANDBAGS: Berkeley County Roads and Bridges has delivered sandbags to various locations throughout Berkeley County. Sand is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The sites are self-serve. More locations will be added, as needed.
- North Berkeley Fire Station 1 - 124 Hood Street, St. Stephen
- North Berkeley Fire Station 2 - 420 Municipal Lane, Bonneau
- Goose Creek City Public Works - 200 Button Hall Avenue, Goose Creek
- Goose Creek Rural Fire Department - 907 Red Bank Road, Goose Creek
- Cainhoy Rural Vol. Fire Department Station 6 - 1004 United Drive, Huger
- Cainhoy Rural Vol. Fire Dept. Station 3 - 2451 Clements Ferry Road, Huger (Wando)
- City of Hanahan Rec. Complex - 3000 Railroad Ave., Hanahan
- Central Berkeley Fire & EMS Cross Station 1 - 1007 Short Cut Road, Cross
- C&B Fire Station 1 - 509 Royal Road, Ladson
- Cordesville Rural Vol. Fire Dept Station 1 - 1931 SC-402, Moncks Corner
- Pimlico Rural Vol. Fire Dept - 1607 Pimlico Boulevard, Moncks Corner
- Whitesville Rural Vol. Fire Dept Station 3 - 115 Sunview Lane, Moncks Corner
- Moncks Corner Fire Dept. headquarters - 116 Carolina Ave., Moncks Corner
- Eadytown Rural Vol. Fire Dept. – 1241 Edgewater Road, Pineville
- Richardson Boat Landing - 400 Hilltop Drive, Bonneau Beach
POWER OUTAGES: In the event of a power outage in the coming days, please do not call 911. Please report outages to the appropriate utility provider below:
- Berkeley Electric: 1-888-253-4232
- Santee Cooper: 1-888-769-7688
- Dominion Energy: 1-888-333-4465
- Edisto Electric: 1-800-433-3292
REPORTING STORM DAMAGE: If your residence or business sustains storm damage in the coming days, please report it online. Those without Internet access can report storm damage by calling the Citizen Call Line at 843-719-4800 and leaving a detailed voicemail. Reporting storm damage will help Berkeley County staff gauge the extent of damage in the County and report the findings to state and federal officials. These reports will determine appropriate federal and state funding for damage caused by the storm.
SCDES preps for storm flooding danger
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) is closely monitoring the storm and preparing for its potential impact on South Carolina later this week. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) is the state’s lead agency during a hurricane or tropical storm response, and SCDES, as part of South Carolina’s State Emergency Response Team, is staying in coordination with SCEMD, the Governor’s Office, and other state agencies.
SCDES used its emergency notification system to alert owners of all regulated dams and reservoirs in the state to advise taking proactive steps to prepare their dams and reservoirs for potential heavy rainfall. This may include clearing debris from spillways and assessing the water level to determine if lowering the level is needed to accommodate incoming storm flows.
"Based on the significant rainfall predicted to impact our state this week, we are strongly advising dam and reservoir owners to perform thorough assessments of their dams and reservoirs, take any necessary actions to clear spillways and lower water levels, and plan for the routine monitoring of their dams and reservoirs for the next several days," said Jill Stewart, P.E., director of SCDES’s Dam Safety and Stormwater Permitting Division. "As always, it’s important for dam and reservoir owners to coordinate any water releases for lowering water levels with other nearby dam owners and with property owners downstream. Our Dam Safety Program staff continue to be available to advise dam and reservoir owners.”
Additionally, SCDES Dam Safety Program staff are performing pre-storm assessments at high-hazard dams expected to be heavily impacted by rainfall based on current weather modeling.
If needed, SCDES is prepared to perform post-storm dam inspections, deploy mobile teams to severely impacted areas of the state, conduct post-storm aerial coastal assessments, issue authorizations for sand scraping or minor renourishment along beaches, and assist with solid- and hazardous-waste disposal and debris disposal at landfills, among other key actions.
Visit SCEMD’s website or tune in to local news media, and follow SCEMD and SCDES on social media for the latest updates and information.
Many areas across the County are experiencing severe flooding and several roadways are closed. Find a list of road closures at https://berkeleycountysc.gov/road-closures/?pagenum=2 . Rescue operations have been ongoing throughout the early morning hours on Friday. Please do not drive through flooded roads or around barricades.
An emergency shelter is open at Berkeley Middle School, located at 320 N. Live Oak Drive in Moncks Corner.