By Rich McKay and Tyler Clifford
ATLANTA (Reuters) -Tropical Storm Debby inundated coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina on Tuesday with a deluge of rain that could cause “catastrophic flooding” in Charleston, Savannah and other southeastern United States cities, the National Hurricane Center said. Center.
At least six people have died in Florida and Georgia in the aftermath of the storm, which is expected to linger over the southeastern and mid-Atlantic coasts for days.
“Debby is expected to produce potentially historic rainfall
totals of 10 to 20 inches (25 cm and 51 cm), with maximum amounts of 25 inches (63.5 cm), causing areas of catastrophic flooding across portions of the eastern half of South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina through be charged Friday,” the NHC said.
The governors of those states have declared a state of emergency.
The storm packed winds of 40 miles per hour (64 km per hour) as it moved slowly northeastward at 5 mph (8 km per hour), with its center about 50 miles (80 km) east of Savannah, Georgia, on Tuesday. night. Heavy rain could cause flooding in parts of the Atlantic Ocean through Sunday, the Miami-based center said.
More than 8 inches of rain has already fallen on Savannah and Valdosta, Georgia, the National Weather Service said. Charleston and Hilton Head, South Carolina, have received between 10 and 12 inches of rain so far, the weather service said, with more to come.
In Savannah, rain fell heavily outside the landmark Bellwether House, a 16-room bed-and-breakfast in the city’s historic district, but general manager Victoria Hill wasn’t too concerned.
“This place was built in 1876,” she said. “It is rock solidly built and you can imagine how many storms have hit it over the last century.”
Hill said many tourists canceled their reservations because of the storm, but a handful of guests stayed overnight.
“We here, we are open and we stand firm. We will all do this together.”
Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said more than 2 feet (61 cm) of rain was expected in his city before the storm passed. Even at low tide, storm surges of between 1.2 and 1.8 meters will prevent water from flowing into the sea, he said.
There are “not enough pumps in the world” to handle that much rain, Cogswell said late Monday. He has since extended the citywide curfew until Wednesday morning.
“No one should go out on the streets under these circumstances unless there is an absolute emergency,” the mayor said.
About 50 miles west of Charleston, fears of a breach at the McGrady Dam in Colleton County, part of the state’s Lowcountry, prompted the county sheriff’s office to warn residents Tuesday to evacuate immediately.
Debby made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in the Big Bend region of Florida’s Gulf Coast on Monday morning, dumping 8 to 16 inches of rain in parts of central Florida, according to local reports. The storm is responsible for five deaths in Florida and one near Valdosta, Georgia.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said the city can expect “once in a thousand years” rain.
“This will literally create islands in the city,” Johnson said.
Cedrick King, a businessman from coastal Brunswick (NYSE:), Georgia, said he and his family packed up Tuesday and were ready to make the five-hour drive to Atlanta.
“We’re going north, far away from this storm,” he said.
