With another one to two inches of rainfall dropping Saturday in the midlands, Gov. Nikki Haley is again asking people to stay off the roads, just six days after South Carolina experienced its worst flooding in state history.
"Stay off the roads today," Haley said during a media briefing Saturday, concerned about possible dangers of saturated ground under already threatened roadways. She said while no major flooding is expected in the midlands, roadways could still pose a problem.
According to reports, U.S. 527 at Willard Farms in Sumter County has broken as of Saturday morning.
Haley said railroads statewide have rerouted their loads and there are no freight transportation issues.
Sixteen miles of Interstate 95 remain closed through portions of Clarendon County, between exits 119 and 135, or Manning and Turbeville, specifically. State Department of Transportation inspectors continue to check bridges and road surfaces, and inspectors include dive teams in water-logged areas.
The number of deaths attributed to the flooding remains at 19. Local authorities have attributed no deaths in Clarendon County to the flood as of yet.
Haley said all DHEC labs are open and available to test water for free for private well owners. She said DHEC officials continue to monitor public water supplies.
"God bless the National Guard," Haley said. About 3,500 national guard members are on duty, and 526 more are coming in to help from North Carolina. They've served 231 missions so far.
Haley continued to encourage flood victims to register with FEMA by calling 1 (800) 621 FEMA or by clicking here. Flood victims who have immediate needs can call the United Way at 211 for help. So far, 31,038 people have registered for assistance with FEMA, and the agency has approved $7 million in individual flood assistance.
Haley said there are 336 state-maintained roads closed, and that number includes 105 bridges. She said 35 state Department of Transportation assessment teams are fanning out across 23 counties to evaluate roads and prioritize them for repair. Those efforts are expected to begin in another day or so.
The closure along I-95 has been extended, from 13 miles to 16 miles that are now shut down to traffic between mile marker 119 and 135. About 200 loads of concrete have been brought to that location to make repairs.
"These challenges are also telling the story about the heart and soul of South Carolinians and it's a good story," Haley said. "We will get through this. We have gotten through the worst part of what any state could go through and we did it together."
Some other points in Haley's Saturday briefing:
SCDNR and law enforcement agencies conducted 100 rescues Friday
850 people and pets have been rescued in total
5 disaster recovery centers have been opened statewide
17 shelters are open statewide, servicing 495 people
20 dams have been breached while emergency officials continue to monitor 129 dams
