Sheriff: Clarendon County ‘cut-off’ from surrounding areas
Roads between Turbeville, Manning and Alcolu washed away, impassable
BY ROBERT J. BAKER and LEIGH ANN MAYNARD
When record-breaking rain began to fall across South Carolina in early October 2015, Clarendon County quickly found itself at the heart of a historic disaster. Roads crumbled, bridges disappeared beneath rushing water, and hundreds of residents were left stranded or displaced. In the days that followed, The Manning Times worked tirelessly to capture the chaos, courage, and community that defined the “Thousand-Year Flood.”
The following story, originally published October 8, 2015 by late editor Robert J. “Bobby” Baker and current publisher Leigh Ann Maynard, offers a raw, on-the-ground account of those first uncertain days—when Clarendon County was quite literally cut off from the world.
Billie Masters had no idea Monday how he and his wife were going to return to the northeast.
Since about daylight, the couple had driven their white Jeep Cherokee with Massachusetts plates down parts of S.C. 261 toward Paxville, down U.S. 521 toward Sumter and Kingstree Highway
"Is there any way out of this county?" he said standing at a flooded area of U.S. 521 near Burger Chick and Manning Restaurant. The area featured a car on the bridge whose roof was the only part visible. "We're just trying to get home," the beleaguered man said.
The couple was one of many stranded travelers who got caught up in what officials are calling "historic rains and floods" throughout the state, Clarendon Administrator David Epperson said more than 200 motorists were stranded on the Clarendon portion of Interstate 95 alone.
The trouble started late Saturday night, with first responders helping vehicles that overturned on parts of the interstate, one of which that even began to float away around the 124 mile-marker in the southbound lanes.
Those lanes were shut down first, before the state Department of Transportation shut down an entire north and southbound 77-mile stretch of the highway that included the 30-plus mile portion of Clarendon.
As first responders dealt with the mess on the interstate, flood waters made Meadowfield Apartments and other homes in Summerton unsafe for residents.
"About 200 people were evacuated from Meadowfield and homes in Summerton," said Sheriff Randy Garrett.
Garrett, his deputies and other law enforcement from throughout the county came together early Sunday morning to mobilize resources and get folks to safety. Epperson said a shelter opened at Scott's Branch High School still had about 175 people as of Monday afternoon.
"Our shelter at Manning High has about 130 people," Epperson said.
Manning Police Chief Blair Shaffer said his officers began evacuating folks in the city about 6 a.m. Sunday.
"It started with a woman who woke up and stepped out of her bed and was in standing water, about six inches of it," Shaffer said. "Then we had to wake everyone up in Lincoln Park to get them out.
Shaffer believes the city rescued about 40 people from flooded homes.
"We didn't really have any issues with people stuck in cars in town, but issues right outside of town, we assisted there," Shaffer said. "The Sheriff's Office at that time was wide open in the Summerton area, so we were helping them out." Shelters were also open at Weldon Auditorium. Clarendon Memorial Hospital also opened a "critical care" shelter at the Cypress Center.
"This is for those people that just had surgery, and they have drainage tubes or wound vacs," Epperson said. "They might have oxygen tanks. These are critical needs only."
A shelter was open briefly Sunday at East Clarendon Middle-High School, but responders from Manning were unable to get there to provide cots and other emergency needs.
"We are asking folks in the eastern part of Clarendon County to go to Lake City High School," Epperson said. "Florence has graciously agreed to help our residents who need it. This whole thing is a mess and the road from Turbeville to Manning is completely washed away at Black River.”
Garrett said he's never seen anything like what he called "catastrophic rainfall" that has completely shut off all passages out of Clarendon County as of Monday.
"This is unprecedented," Garrett said. "We still urge people to stay in their homes and respect the curfew."
A curfew was set in place 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday, and was to run daily through Wednesday. As of press time Monday, Epperson said the curfew could be extended through the weekend, but hours would remain the same.
Garrett said that sight-seers are making things "much more difficult for first responders."
"If you still have to go to work, and you can make it safely, that's fine, but if we see you out between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. with a camera, you're going to stay with us."
Both President Barack Obama and Gov. Nikki Haley have declared federal and state emergencies, respectively, in South Carolina.
Epperson said the S.C. National Guard is active throughout Clarendon County in helping with rescue efforts. By Monday, Epperson said more than 3,000 Duke Energy customers within the city limits of Manning were without power, and restoration was estimated for 11:45 p.m. Monday.
"But there's really no timetable," Epperson said. "Hopefully, they can fix it as fast as they can."
Epperson said county deputies escorted Duke work trucks down Interstate 95, which is closed to all thru-traffic.
"They have to get on the 132 mile-marker, they have to switch to the northbound lane to come southbound like we had some folks do yesterday to get them off the interstate," Epperson said.
He said was in contact with Theo Lane, a local official for Duke Energy, and that workers were trying to find the failure in the transmission line.
"They don't know where that failure is, is my understanding, and they're trying to find it," Epperson said Monday.
Clarendon County Sheriff's Office Maj. Kipp Coker said boats were still being used Monday to help folks out of their homes.
Garrett reiterated that folks should stay home unless they have an emergency.
"Some bridges are completely under water, and many have washed away completely," Garrett said. "At night, you can't see these flooding conditions until you're right up on top of them."
Garrett said folks who must drive to get to higher ground need to maintain a speed of 30 mph or less.
"If you get into trouble, it will take our deputies three times the response time because they can't exceed 30 mph to get to you," Garrett advised.
Epperson said law enforcement with the state Department of Natural Resources and the State Law Enforcement Division were helping with relief efforts.
As for rainfall totals, Epperson said the county received at least 20 inches by Monday morning.
"It's probably much more; that's a conservative estimate," he said.
Epperson said the task now before local authorities is to assess the damage. He was hopeful that rains would stop by Tuesday morning.
"Once the rain stops, and then the sun can come out and some of this water will start to subside," Epperson said. "Then we will know the true extent of the damage."
Garrett said it will be a while before things "return to normal."
"I think it will get worse before it gets better," he said. "Once it stops raining, what we're told from forecasters is that the water will still be there even after 48 hours.It's going to take a while to assess the situation and start getting around safely again."
