Tropical storm Debby hits South Carolina again, raises flooding concerns

So far, the storm has claimed at least seven lives and continues to be a threat as it moves inland.

As of Thursday morning, Debby was about 80 miles southeast of Charlotte, North Carolina, and 110 miles southwest of Raleigh.

The National Hurricane Center warned that Debby could bring another 3 inches of rain to parts of eastern South Carolina, with some areas seeing over 25 inches since Monday.

Southeastern North Carolina could get up to 15 inches of rain, and parts of Virginia might see up to 10 inches.

Meteorologist Rich Bann from the National Weather Service said that after a brief break, Debby’s intensity could increase again as it moves inland, raising the risk of heavy rains and flooding.

Debby is moving northwest at 10 mph with winds up to 40 mph. It’s expected to weaken into a tropical depression later on Thursday as it continues to move northward, affecting Maryland, Washington, upstate New York, and Vermont, though with less intense rain.

A man speaks to his relatives on a mobile phone as he stands in residual rain water flooding the downtown area caused by the storm, Bladenboro, New Carolina. (AP photo)

The storm has already caused significant damage. Over 141,000 customers in the Carolinas and Virginia lost power on Thursday morning, and 17,000 in Florida are still without electricity, down from a peak of 350,000 earlier in the week.

In North Carolina, a tornado linked to Debby’s system killed one man when his home collapsed in Wilson County.

The tornado also damaged at least 10 houses, a church, and a school. The National Hurricane Center warned that more tornadoes could happen in the area on Thursday.

In Bulloch County, Georgia, four dams burst on Wednesday due to flooding, with the Cypress Lake Dam at risk of failure. Local authorities evacuated residents as homes were flooded and roads became impassable.

Emergency officials are watching river systems in the Carolinas closely, expecting major flooding even after the storm leaves the region.

By the weekend, Debby could bring up to 6 inches of rain from Maryland to northern Vermont, though New York City is likely to avoid the worst of the storm.

(With inputs from Reuters)

From the homepage

‘Sophisticated’ cross-border supply chain of arms, narcotics exposed as NIA chargesheets ‘mastermind’

‘Accidental explosion’: Centre says Nowgam police station blast triggered during forensic sampling process

Lalu’s daughter Rohini says quitting politics, disowning family day after RJD rout in Bihar polls