In South Carolina, millions still remain homebound Monday following the devastating rainfall from hurricane Joaquin, reports USA Today. Many schools, government offices, and businesses closed due to the continuing rains. Both the governor and Emergency Management Division are urging residents to stay where they are if they are safe.
The National Weather Service has reported rainfall totaling 6.8 inches in Columbia on Sunday, greatly surpassing the record from 1959. The two-day weekend rainfall total of 10.44 inches also set a record. Across South Carolina, 550 roads and bridges were closed Monday. About 40,000 residences were without water, and many thousands more were dealing with a boil order. About 26,000 had no power.
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A suburb of Charleston was also blasted with record rainfall of more than two feet since Thursday. The flooding stranded motorists and residents, forcing hundreds of rescues and evacuations. Federal disaster aid has already been approved by the President for South Carolina and 600 National Guard personnel have been called to the region with hundreds more at the ready. Though much of the East was saturated, the hovering stormed saved its worst for South Carolina.
CNN reports that while the rain is beginning to move out of the region, as much as an additional two inches could fall. And some rivers might not crest for possibly two weeks, meaning parts of South Carolina will be dealing with flooding for some time.
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