A historic rainfall inundated sections of Charleston, South Carolina, this past Saturday, prompting emergency responders to aid individuals stranded in flooded areas.
The National Weather Service in Charleston documented a staggering 3.63 inches of rainfall downtown, surpassing the previous single-day record of 1.43 inches set in 1948. Similarly, Charleston International Airport experienced 1.95 inches of rainfall, breaking the former record of 1.13 inches recorded in 1998.
The torrential downpour coincided with a morning high tide in the coastal city.
Charleston Fire Department addressed 12 incidents involving vehicles submerged in water, facilitating the rescue of 13 individuals from vehicles or floodwaters.
Strong winds wreaked havoc in the area, causing multiple windows to shatter at a tire business and tearing off roofing sheet metal from there and two adjacent establishments. Additionally, a power pole’s top section was snapped off due to the gusts. In North Charleston, heavy rainfall led to the collapse of a church ceiling, according to reports from the National Weather Service.
Bill Sekula, vice president of the tire company affected by the storm, Hay Tire Pros, recounted the chaos to WCSC-TV, mentioning that part of the ceiling also caved in internally.
“It seemed like a sudden burst of intense weather, causing the windows to buckle and break. The windows on the side simply gave way and detached from the building,” Sekula stated in the interview.
Fortunately, authorities in Charleston did not immediately report any injuries resulting from the storms and subsequent flooding.
