Janice R. Andrews
Hurricane Tropical Debby made a second landfall in the United States early on Thursday in South Carolina. The storm has already dumped over a foot of rain on sections of the southern United States. The National Hurricane Centre reported at 2 a.m. ET that the storm, which had gusts of up to 50 mph, made landfall close to Bulls Bay. Debby first made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Monday as a Category 1 storm, leaving a path of devastation in its wake.
Six reported deaths from the storm—five in Florida and one in Georgia—have been attributed to fallen trees. Debby still poses a serious hazard even if it is becoming weaker as it approaches inland, especially because of the continuous rains and flash floods.
In an update on Wednesday night, Dr. Michael Brennan, the director of the National Hurricane Centre, stated that the rainfall will remain the main narrative with Debby. Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina expressed similar worries, alerting the public to the possibility of extremely dangerous flash floods in areas of the state that might receive up to 15 inches of rain before the storm passes by late Thursday or early Friday.
Debby’s reach was well beyond its centre even before storm made her second impact. Its impacts were felt on Wednesday when it passed along the coast of South Carolina, extending from Florida to the Carolinas and even up to the Mid-Atlantic states. By Tuesday, the town of Parrish, Florida, southeast of St. Petersburg, had received about 19 inches of rain, while Sarasota had received a foot, necessitating hundreds of rescues.
Another major threat has been the presence of tornadoes. Tuesday’s EF-1 tornado that was created by Debby’s outer rain band damaged 29 residences on the Isle of Palms, South Carolina. With gusts of up to 90 mph, another EF-1 tornado struck Edisto Island on Monday, destroying trees and ripping off a portion of a home’s roof.
Residents in Tropical Storm Debby’s path are advised to remain careful as it moves slowly and fills with rain, as further flash flooding and dangerous circumstances are still anticipated in the days ahead. As the storm steadily weakens and travels onshore, emergency services are prepared to respond to any new occurrences and are on high alert.
