Georgetown community bracing for rising flood waters

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - In Georgetown County thousands of people are encouraged to evacuate their homes as river levels continue to rise.

Rivers are expected to crest on Wednesday, many of them flowing into Winyah Bay in Georgetown.

“All the five major rivers come through right here and whenever high tide comes in,” Paul Carter said. “You got all the floating waters coming out everything stops right here and just rises on an incoming tide.”

Carter said even though the rivers haven’t crested, the waters are almost as high as they were after Hurricane Matthew.

“It was about a foot higher, and this is low tide now,” Carter said. “It hasn’t started yet.”

When the waters do rise, Carter will be on his boat in Winyah Bay.

“It’s rough, no power, throw as many anchors as you can, wait it out,” Carter said. “It’s a waiting game.”

Carter said he’s staying on his house boat so he can make it to his job at a steel mill in Georgetown County, and has plans to weather the rising waters.

“Everything starts breaking loose, throw an anchor,” Carter said.

In Winyah Bay, Carter said potential flood waters could cause severe damage.

“If it’s fifteen feet here, we’ve got a lot more problems,” Carter said.

“More water would put floating docks over the tops of the pilings and the floating docks would break loose,” Carter said. “That would mean everything that’s tied up to the floating docks would be adrift and everything that’s tied to the pilings would hopefully be secure, but you’ve got floating docks crashing in together.”

Carter said until they know just how much water could inundate the area, he’s going to keep preparing.

“We’re going to prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Carter said.

Copyright 2018 WCSC. All rights reserved.