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Mar 14, 2024

LIVE BLOG: More than 11 inches of rain reported in Mullins during Idalia, National Weather Service says

by: Dennis Bright, Caleb McCusker, Taylor Ford Posted: Aug 30, 2023 / 02:50 PM EDT Updated: Aug 31, 2023 / 06:28 PM EDT MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Here are the latest updates on Idalia from across

by: Dennis Bright, Caleb McCusker, Taylor Ford

Posted: Aug 30, 2023 / 02:50 PM EDT

Updated: Aug 31, 2023 / 06:28 PM EDT

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Here are the latest updates on Idalia from across the Grand Strand and Pee Dee.

National Weather Service says straight-line winds cause tree damage along Yellowthroat Road near the intersection with Woodland Avenue near Georgetown.

The National Weather Service has extended a flood warning for the following areas:

Nearly 1,200 Duke Energy customers in Florence County and nearly 600 in Horry County are still without power because of Tropical Storm Idalia, according to the utility’s outage website. More than 340 customers in Marion County are also still without service.

The city of Mullins in Marion County received 11.57 inches of rain over a 24-hour period during Tropical Storm Idalia, the most of any area in the Grand Strand and Pee Dee, according to the National Weather Service Office in Wilmington.

Other rainfall totals include: central Horry County, 6.24 inches; Surfside Beach, 4.60 inches; Lake City, 4.38 inches; Lumberton, 4.25 inches; Marion government complex, 8.54 inches; Loris, 7.42 inches; Little River, 7.23 inches; Gallivants Ferry landing, 7 inches; and Darlington, 4.36 inches.

North Myrtle Beach officials began surveying damage Thursday morning from Tropical Storm Idalia. The city reported some tidal flooding throughout the Cherry Grove and Windy Hill areas, and crews have been working to clear roads of any debris. Music on the Main is still scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, the city said.

High water is causing some problems in Marion County. The sheriff’s office reports flooding on Highway 76 in front of the Prison Camp/County Maintenance shop. Also, Guyton Road is completely shut down, and a section of Shannon Road is also closed. There is still water on city streets, and authorities are asking everyone to drive slowly to help prevent the water from getting into homes and businesses along the streets.

North Myrtle Beach had a peak wind gust of 48 mph as Idalia moved through the Grand Street and Pee areas, according to the National Weather Service office in Wilmington, North Carolina. Top gusts in other areas included: Marion, 47 mph; Springmaid Pier, 45 mph; Florence, 43 mph; central Horry County, 40 mph; Horry County Airport, 47; Myrtle Beach, 43; Lumberton, 39 mph; and Darlington County Airport, 37.

Florence city crews are clearing trees on Waters Avenue, Hamilton Avenue and Alexander trees. Officials are asking people driving in the area to use extra caution while workers clean up damage caused by Idalia. City officials also asked people to avoid traveling on Cedar Street because a tree is blocking the road. The cleanup may take a couple of hours, the city said.

City officials also said Duke Energy is working in the area of Cherokee Road between Garland and Plum Streets to restore electric service and remove a tree that caused the outage.

Horry County has closed its emergency operations center and the county is returning to OPCON 3, or normal daily operations. Government offices will operate on a normal schedule starting at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Power is out for more than about 3,200 Horry Electric customers, according to the company’s outage website.

Power is out for more than 6,400 Duke Energy customers in Florence County, according to the utility’s website. Power is also out for more than 1,000 in Dillon County and about 965 people in Horry County.

Power is restored to about 935 Horry Electric customers near Socastee Boulevard.

A flash flood warning continues for Loris until 3 a.m.

A flash flood warning continues for the Florence, Johnsonville and Lake City areas until 1:30 a.m.

Power is out for more than 5,300 Duke Energy customers in Florence County, according to the utility’s website. Power is also out for about 965 in Dillon County and about 530 in Marion County.

Some people said they saw a waterspout come in when structures were damaged in the Cherry Grove area. There is some debris between 54th and 57th Avenue North. Fire officials said it was either a waterspout, microburst or a short-lived tornado, but the National Weather Service will assess Thursday morning. Residents reported hearing a freight-train-like sound.

Thursday morning update

According to a Facebook post by North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue, within a minute of US National Weather Service Wilmington NC issuing a Tornado Warning for our area, North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue said they received reports of debris and damage in the 5600 block of North Ocean Blvd.

North Myrtle Beach Police and fire personnel surveyed the area between 53rd Ave N up to the point for damage.

Crews documented cosmetic structural damage to several locations including siding, gutters, shingles, and fences within this area.

Two homes suffered structural roof damage and required power to be secured to those residences. No other immediate hazards were noted, and no injuries reported, according to the post.

North Myrtle Beach Public Works and Building/Code Enforcement assisted on scene and crews will be back in the area after sunrise to continue assessing the area, the post said.

North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue tells News13 that debris, likely from a waterspout, caused damage to the exterior of Hyperion Towers. A house down the street lost its roof in the storm.

Power is out for nearly 3,400 Duke Energy customers in Florence County, according to the utility’s website. Power is also out for about 865 in Dillon County and about 315 in Marion County.

Tornado damage has been reported in the Cherry Grove area, according to the National Weather Service. Moderate structural damage has been reported around 57th Avenue North and Ocean Boulevard.

A flash flood warning issued for the Dillon, Latta and Lake View areas until 2:15 a.m.

A flash flood warning continues for the Marion, Mullins and Aynor areas until 1 a.m.

About 875 Duke Energy customers are without power in Dillon County, according to the utility’s website. In addition, about 325 Duke Energy customers are without power in Florence County.

A flash flood warning issued for the Conway, Loris and Red Hill areas until 1 a.m.

A tornado warning was issued for Horry County in the Little River, Longs and Carolina Shores areas. It was canceled at about 10:25 p.m.

A flash flood warning issued for the Florence, Lake City and Kingstree areas until 1 a.m.

A power outage is affecting about 935 Horry Electric customers, according to the utility’s website. The affected area is primarily near Socastee Boulevard and the surrounding area.

A power outage is affecting about 620 Duke Energy customers in Dillon County, according to the utility’s website. The estimated restoration time is 10:15 p.m. 213 Duke Energy customers are also without power in Florence County.

A power outage is affecting about 540 Santee Cooper customers in the Murrells Inlet and Garden City areas, according to the utility’s website. The affected area is along Highway 17 and Highway 17 Business.

A flash flood warning issued for parts of Horry, Marion and Georgetown counties until 11 p.m.

A power outage in Florence County is affecting 821 Duke Energy customers, according to the utilities website.

According to the Pawleys Island Police Department, wind has pushed a large amount of water into the creeks, which is causing flooding along Myrtle Avenue. High tide is not until 9 p.m. Police are urging people to not drive through the water.

A tornado warning issued for the North Myrtle Beach, Little River and Carolina Shores areas has expired.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for the North Myrtle Beach, Little River and Carolina Shores areas until 7:30 p.m.

Here are the latest power outages in the Grand Strand and Pee Dee from Duke Energy’s outage website:

Horry County: 51 customers out of 1,687 served; Dillon County: 795 out of 10,465 served; Florence County: 86 out of 55,437 served; and Marion County: 61 out of 12,703 served.

First responders are investigating a possible tornado touchdown in the 600 block of Woodland Avenue in Georgetown, according to the county’s emergency management officials. Officials are waiting to get reports from first responders at the scene.

The northbound ramp from Highway 17 Bypass to Farrow Parkway has been blocked off because of flooding in the area, according to Myrtle Beach police. Barricades have been erected in the area.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina, has issued a tornado warning covering parts of Horry, Marion and Georgetown counties until 5:45 p.m. The areas in the warning are Bucksport, Toddville and Plantersville.

Idalia has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it approaches the Carolinas, according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest up. Hurricane Idalia barreled into the Florida Panhandle Wednesday morning as a powerful Category 3 storm. It’s the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Florida Big Bend region in more than 125 years. The hurricane warning along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina has been changed to a tropical storm warning, and the hurricane watches have been discontinued.

Duke Energy is reporting power outages affecting 234 customers in Florence County and 47 in Georgetown County. The majority of the Florence County outages are in the Lake City area, according to the utility’s outage map.

Darlington County government will open county departments at 11 a.m. Thursday. This includes convenience stations that are normally open. The county’s emergency operation center will be open and monitoring the conditions through the evening.

Hurricane Idalia is having an impact on travelers to and from Myrtle Beach International Airport. The airport remains open, but eight arriving flights and nine departing flights between early Wednesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon have been canceled, according to the airport’s website. The canceled flights involved Delta and Spirit airlines.

Robeson County government offices and facilities will be closed on Thursday. Regulator operating hours will resume on Friday. The county also canceled small claims, criminal, and civil district courts scheduled for Thursday because of expected impacts from Idalia. The Clerk of Court will reschedule the above cases with appropriate notice to the affected parties.

All Myrtle Beach city offices, municipal court, recreation facilities and public parks departments closed at 4 p.m. Wednesday, according to the city. Solid waste and recycling collections in Thursday’s Zone 4 are postponed until Friday. All youth sports, after-school care and recreation programs are canceled. In addition, the beach is double-red-flagged, which means no swimming is allowed. Solid waste and recycling collections will occur on a one-day delay in Zone 4 (Thursday’s route). Customers, please move containers away from roadways to a safe place Wednesday evening, then put them back out Thursday evening. Staff will collect solid waste and recycling on Friday. City offices, recreation facilities, public parks and Municipal Court will reopen at 8 a.m. Thursday. Municipal Court will hold one bond hearing at 1 p.m. Evening court at 5 p.m. Thursday is canceled. Defendants originally scheduled for evening court may call 843-918-1356 for information. Beach crews will begin cleanup efforts at 8 a.m. Thursday.

The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood warning for areas near Horry and Georgetown counties until 11 p.m. One to two feet of inundation above ground level can be expected in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways.

The North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex will close at 5 p.m. Wednesday. It will reopen on Thursday when safe conditions have been established.

All locations of the Florence County Library System closed at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The library system will reopen as soon as conditions permit. Announcements regarding the time and date of reopening will be made on the library’s website at www.florencelibrary.org, as well as its Facebook and Twitter(X) pages.

Scotland County, North Carolina, government offices will be on a two-hour delay on Thursday due to the potential impacts from Idalia, officials said. Most officer will open at 10 a.m. Emergency services will not be impacted by the delay.

Duke Energy reported 343 customers without power in Florence County. The outages are south of Johnsonville. The utility also reported 47 customers without power in Georgetown County.

Pawleys Island police are encouraging residents and guests on the island to move vehicles to the mainland Wednesday afternoon and evening. The greatest impacts for flooding are from approximately 9 p.m. to 2 p.m., the department said.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and state emergency officials talked about Hurricane Idalia at a news conference Wednesday afternoon as the state prepares for impacts from the storm. McMaster issued a statewide emergency declaration on Tuesday ahead of the storm. He said state leaders have been in touch with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and that “they are here.” McMaster also said he called President Joe Biden shortly before the news conference.

The administration offices in Marion County will close at 4 p.m. Wednesday. They will reopen Friday, if the weather permits, officials said.

The city of Darlington’s administration building will close at 2 p.m. Wednesday and reopen at 8:30 a.m. Friday in anticipation of the heavy rains and high winds from Hurricane Idalia. The city said in a news release that first responders, including water and sewer, stormwater and street personnel, are prepared for the inclement weather and are on standby.

Horry County government facilities will close at 5 p.m. Wednesday because of expected impacts from Hurricane Idalia. Facilities will reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, the county said.

Impacts from Idalia will increase this afternoon into this evening, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. The tornado threat has increased, mainly between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. Expect heavy rain, potential flooding, strong winds, coastal flooding, and a few tornadoes.

A tornado watch has been issued for parts of North and South Carolina, according to the National Weather Service Wilmington. The watch will be active until 10 p.m. Wednesday.

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Dennis Bright is a digital producer at News13. Dennis is a West Virginia native and graduate of Marshall University. He has won copyediting and journalism awards in West Virginia and Ohio. Follow Dennis on Twitter and read more of his work here.

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