Officials in South Carolina are not wasting any time preparing for Future Imelda.
As the storm continues to advance in the tropics, emergency declarations are being made by state and local officials.
On late Friday afternoon, Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina made a declaration of emergency for the entire state, urging residents to begin preparing for the storm’s arrival.
Gov. McMaster held a follow-up press conference on Saturday afternoon, noting that he was speaking on the anniversary of Hurricane Helene, which devastated the Carolinas one year ago. He said that he did not intend to issue an evacuation order, but cautioned residents that this storm, as with Helene, may not behave as expected.
“Your neighborhood may have things you have not seen before,” he said.
In closing, he added, “The time to prepare is now.”
The Carolinas Under Threat
The City of Charleston declared a state of emergency on Saturday morning and provided a list of preparations for the storm already underway. Among other actions, the city is clearing storm drains and roadside ditches in flood-prone areas, setting up temporary pumps at vulnerable intersections and low-lying spots, and staging barricades to close streets that become unsafe.
In Myrtle Beach on Friday, Mayor Brenda Bethune cautioned that the civil emergency declaration was not meant to alarm residents, but to better prepare to make the quick actions and protections necessary in a fast-moving emergency scenario.
“As a city, we want to be prepared to respond quickly if necessary,” Bethune said. “This declaration gives us the tools we need to protect our residents and businesses.”
South Carolina has prepared a hurricane guide for the entire state, with official contacts and resources, advice on supplies, and evacuation maps.
The City of North Charleston announced three locations where sandbags will be provided for local residents starting Saturday morning.
Elsewhere, Lake Johnson in Raleigh, North Carolina was lowered in advance of the storm.
Flooding And Death In The Caribbean
The seeds for what will become Imelda have already made significant impacts in the Caribbean.
In the Dominican Republic, authorities evacuated hundreds of people and declared a red alert in five provinces. Heavy rain caused major flooding of rivers and streams, leaving dozens of communities cut off by landslides and fallen bridges. In a community north of Santo Domingo, a bridge collapsed while a truck was crossing and killed the driver.
Flooding in the southwestern province of Azua, one of the areas most affected by the rains, displaced at least 774 people. 26 people were being sheltered due to the overflowing of the Tábara River, Civil Defense spokesman Jensen Sánchez told The AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.