Tropical Storm Debby update: 5 dead, flooding in Georgia and South Carolina

Tropical Storm Debby brought strong winds to South Carolina, and tornadoes struck the state last night.

A tornado downed power lines and damaged homes in Edisto Beach, while another caused damage in the Isle of Palms. South Carolina Daily Gazette I will report.

The tornadoes caused extensive property damage, but no injuries or deaths were reported in South Carolina as of Tuesday.

More than 11,000 people in South Carolina were without power as of Tuesday afternoon. Power OutThe tornado threat will continue into Wednesday.

More than 14 inches of rain fell in Green Pond, South Carolina, on Tuesday as Tropical Storm Debby parked off the coast of South Carolina.

The slow-moving storm is likely to bring “record-breaking rainfall” and “catastrophic” flooding as it sweeps through the southeastern U.S., it said. Northwest.

Meanwhile, Rincon, Georgia, recorded more than 11 inches of rain on Tuesday, the most in the state.

Debby, which weakened into a tropical storm, battered parts of Florida on Monday, leaving at least five people dead, thousands without power, at risk of flooding and leaving devastating damage in its wake.

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Tropical storms can be more deadly than the strongest hurricanes. In the case of Debby, the slow-moving storm was expected to dump up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain over several days on the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. Because winds are not the greatest hazard, the storm’s classification is much less significant than the potential for devastating flooding.

The Saffir-Simpson scale simply measures the strength of a hurricane’s winds, from Category 1 to the most powerful Category 5. Other important factors must also be taken into account, such as the storm’s circumference, how fast it is moving, how much rainfall it receives, and the storm surge and storm surge.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has warned about storm cleanup groups that may be scamming local residents.

“You can’t remove the debris yourself, you can’t remove the trees yourself,” Gov. DeSantis said Tuesday morning. “Call our emergency cleanup hotline and we’ll connect you with volunteer groups that will come and do the work for free.”

“These volunteer organizations are free,” DeSantis continued. “They never ask for money. If someone asks you for money, there’s a 90%+ chance it’s a scam and you should report it to the Attorney General.”

The state’s chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, warned about a particular type of insurance fraud called “claims instruction,” in which scammers convince victims to transfer storm damage claims from their insurance companies to them.

“Whatever you do, don’t sign anything. I repeat, don’t sign anything, because you could be handing your rights over to complete strangers,” Patronis told local media. News 4 Jax.

Tropical Storm Debby is expected to remain off the coast of South Carolina through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

The slow-moving storm will likely bring “historic rainfall” and “catastrophic” flooding to the Carolinas, the department said. Northwest.

Debby is expected to move up the East Coast this week. The storm could move as far north as Maine by Sunday.

Tropical Storm Debby has left Florida, but “deadly” danger remains a threat to Florida residents, National Weather Service Said.

These threats include downed power lines, continued flooding, and the possibility of heatstroke due to widespread power outages. Officials are also warning residents to properly ventilate rooms with generators to avoid deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

Debbie reportedly left more than 100,000 customers without power in Florida as of Tuesday morning. Power Out.

At least four people were killed in Florida as a result of Debby. A 64-year-old truck driver was killed when his vehicle overturned on I-75 in Florida, local media reported. Fox 13 In Dixie County, a 38-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy were killed Sunday night when their car crashed into a guardrail, local media reported. WCTV I will report.

A 13-year-old boy was also killed Monday morning in Fanning Springs, Florida, when a tree fell on his mobile home.

Florida officials also launched the Small Business Emergency Loan Bridge program, which Gov. Debbie and Gov. Ron DeSantis said will provide funding to help organizations make repairs and keep employees on the payroll during the crisis. Said Tuesday morning.

Tropical Storm Debby crossed the Florida-Georgia state line late Monday, bringing heavy rains and flooding to Florida.

Savannah, Georgia, Mayor Van Johnson said he was “terrified” about the impact Tropical Storm Debby would have on his state.

More than 17,000 customers are without power in Georgia and at least one person has died in the state, bringing Debby’s death toll to at least five.

Kamala Harris has postponed a planned campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, with newly announced running mate Tim Walz, local media reported. ABC11 I will report.

The delay comes as Tropical Storm Debby threatens to bring extensive flooding and record rainfall to the state, according to the National Weather Service.

Donald Trump’s campaign later announced that his running mate, J.D. Vance, would appear in the state’s capital on Thursday, the same day Harris and Waltz were scheduled to speak.

Tropical Storm Debby washed up a ton of cocaine on the shores of the Florida Keys, worth an estimated $1 million.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said: Independent Twenty-five boxes of drugs were discovered by a good Samaritan in Islamorada, Monroe County.