You won’t be able to get onto the Charleston peninsula until at least Wednesday morning.
Charleston Mayor William Cogswell extended a city-wide curfew through today and into Wednesday morning.
“While I know this is frustrating to some, the reality is no one should be out on the street in these conditions unless it is an absolute emergency,” Cogswell said at a short morning press conference. “The bottom line is we need you to stay home until this passes. … We especially don’t need any yahoos driving through the water and causing damage to property.”
There is no curfew in North Charleston and no plans to issue one at this time, according to a city spokesman.
Charleston has received more than 8 inches of rain since the start of the storm on Monday. CCogswell said the city is anticipating another 3 inches to 6 inches over the next 12 hours. Coupled with wind gusts at 40 mph, he said these factors create “dangerous conditions” for first responders and residents. But thanks to the curfew, he said, no overnight injuries or rescues were reported.
“If you are traveling to work or experiencing a medical emergency, you may be allowed access based on the flooding situation,” Charleston Police Chief Chito Walker said at the press conference. “But if you do not have to go out, please stay home. Do not create an emergency by driving around barricades or driving on roadways unless it is absolutely necessary.”
Cogswell said the city has written “a number of” citations related to people driving around barricades, but he did not know exact data.
In other news, Xfinity is offering free Wi-Fi hotspots across the Charleston area to assist people who are without power and internet. More than 23,000 hotspots are open around Charleston and Savannah. Find the hotspot nearest you with the company’s hotspot map.
Keep up with road conditions and closures at http://gis.charleston-sc.gov/road-closures-regional.
More to come
As the rain slows, Tropical Storm Debby is expected to bring heavier winds, which could more easily uproot trees due to the heavily saturated ground, threatening power lines across the area.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster assistance is available to South Carolina to supplement response efforts after President Joe Biden approved a declaration of emergency for the state. FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.
In addition, the declaration allows for direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care, including evacuation and shelter support, to be provided at 75% federal funding for affected counties, including Charleston.
The storm is moving slowly to the northeast and is expected to head off of the Georgia coast today and then turn north on Wednesday, with a possible landfall somewhere on the S.C. coast Thursday.
“Unfortunately, Debby will linger just off the South Carolina coast for much of the mid-week period before possibly moving back onshore somewhere along the northern South Carolina coast or possibly even the southeast North Carolina coast late Thursday,” the National Weather Service’s John Quagliariello said at a Monday press conference. “Rainfall amounts could exceed what some areas have ever experienced in the past with a widespread area of 10 to 20 inches with locally higher amounts up to 30 inches possible through Friday across the eastern half of the state.”
Residents in South Carolina who have questions about Tropical Storm Debby can now call the state’s toll-free hotline at 1-(866) 246-0133. Operators with the State’s Public Information Phone System are available 24 hours a day for as long as needed.
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