South Carolina is no stranger to hurricanes, but few storms have left as much devastation in their wake as Hurricane Helene. With winds reaching up to 140 mph, Helene tore across the Southeast, making landfall in Florida before traveling inland and wreaking havoc across multiple states, including South Carolina. Though the storm’s most catastrophic flooding occurred in the Appalachian Mountains, Helene’s wrath was felt deeply in the Palmetto State, where winds, fallen trees, and flash floods left a trail of destruction.
The storm strikes
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26, as a powerful Category 4 storm, quickly moving into southern Georgia before entering South Carolina as a weakened, yet still dangerous, Category 2 hurricane. Though the eye of the storm didn’t pass directly over South Carolina, the state felt the full force of Helene’s outer bands.
In the early hours of September 27, winds in excess of 70 mph and torrential rains hit South Carolina’s Upstate region, toppling trees and power lines. Homes were destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of residents found themselves without electricity. In cities like Columbia, Aiken, and Spartanburg, families awoke to the sounds of trees crashing into homes, cars submerged in floodwaters, and roads blocked by debris.
Tragedy unfolds
Helene’s aftermath was deadly for South Carolina. Among the most tragic events occurred in Saluda County, where firefighters George Chad Satcher, 53, and Landon Cale Bodie, 18, were killed when a falling tree crushed their truck as they rushed to respond to an emergency call. Their deaths were part of a larger toll the storm took on South Carolina, where 46 people lost their lives, 11 more than Hurricane Hugo’s death toll in 1989.
In Aiken County, a couple who had been married for 50 years were killed in their sleep when a massive tree crashed through the roof of their home, crushing them in their bed. Meanwhile, in Boiling Springs, Spartanburg County, young teacher Annamaria Fletcher lost her life when a tree fell on her home, pinning her beneath the wreckage as rescue teams struggled to reach her.
Flooding and destruction
Although Helene’s winds caused widespread damage, flash flooding in South Carolina’s Piedmont and Upstate regions was another major concern. Rivers swelled, and dams were overtopped, with floodwaters sweeping through communities, leaving devastation in their wake. While the flooding wasn’t as catastrophic as it was in the Appalachian Mountains, the damage was severe enough to leave many towns isolated and residents stranded in their homes.
The town of Anderson experienced some of the worst flooding. Residents like David Shaw awoke to the sound of glass shattering and water pouring into their homes. For Shaw, the storm claimed not only his home but also the life of his longtime partner, Christine Schmeiske, who was killed when a tree fell through their mobile home.
Power outages and emergency response
Nearly a week after Helene passed, around 500,000 South Carolinians remained without power. Downed power lines and fallen trees left entire communities cut off, with emergency crews working tirelessly to clear roads and restore electricity. The federal government deployed more than 6,000 National Guard members to assist in the recovery efforts, while helicopters and cargo planes dropped food supplies to the hardest-hit areas.
In the midst of the destruction, there were stories of survival. Deanna and Matt Putnam, of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, just over the state line, narrowly escaped death when a large oak tree fell on their home during the storm. Miraculously, the tree landed between the bed where their daughter and son-in-law were sleeping, sparing their lives.
The aftermath and recovery
As the waters began to recede and the winds died down, the true scope of Helene’s damage became clear. By some estimates, more than 40 trillion gallons of rain fell across the Southeast, an amount that could fill a lake the size of North Carolina to a depth of 3.5 feet. AccuWeather placed Helene’s overall damage costs at more than $225 billion, making it one of the costliest storms in U.S. history.
In South Carolina, the focus quickly shifted to recovery. Emergency workers from across the country flooded into the state to assist with debris removal, restore power, and provide aid to those who had lost their homes. Communities rallied to support each other, with neighbors sharing food and supplies and helping one another rebuild.
Yet, for many, the recovery process will take years. Homes can be rebuilt, but the emotional scars left by Helene will take far longer to heal. For those who lost loved ones, the grief is overwhelming. As David Shaw, still reeling from the loss of his partner, said through tears, “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
A Grim Reminder
Hurricane Helene serves as a grim reminder that no place is immune to the increasing power of storms fueled by a warming climate. While South Carolinians are no strangers to hurricanes, Helene’s ferocity caught many off guard. The storm’s destructive path across the state, from fallen trees in Spartanburg to flooded homes in Columbia, left a lasting impact, marking a new chapter in South Carolina’s history of resilience in the face of natural disasters.
As communities begin to rebuild, the people of South Carolina are left to grapple with the reality that, in a world of rapidly intensifying hurricanes, no place, not even the mountains, is truly safe.
