Torrential rainfall causes flooding, at least 5 deaths in South Carolina

A man kayaks in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Image credit: Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

In South Carolina, at least five people died during a storm that dumped more than 18 inches of rain in the central part of the state by early Sunday. 


Of the five deaths, officials say three were caused by traffic accidents. Gov. Nikki Haley (R) said that some areas saw a downpour expected to occur once every 1,000 years, Reuters reports. "Our goal is all hands on deck," she said during a news conference. "If you are in your house, stay in your house. This is not something to be out taking pictures of." A record 8.7 inches of rain was recorded in Columbia for a 24-hour period ending Sunday afternoon; Charleston broke its record for greatest monthly rainfall for October after just four days; and the Congaree River is at its highest level since 1936.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.