More rain, flooding forecast along soggy east coast
Unrelenting rain across the East
Coast showed little sign of letup early Saturday, with record-setting
precipitation expected to prolong the soppy misery that has been eased
only by news that Hurricane Joaquin is no longer a threat.
A flash flood
warning was in effect in parts of South Carolina, where authorities shut
down the Charleston peninsula to motorists.
Several
feet of water had caused vehicles to stall in downtown Charleston and
water has inundated some homes and buildings in the area, according to
the National Weather Service. At least two to four additional inches of
rain was expected by noon. Barbara Vaughn, a Charleston city
spokeswoman, said several people were rescued from stranded cars there.
The
Charleston Police Department has issued lists of dozens of street
closings, and the city's historic district was almost entirely shut
down. Parts of the market area had sandbags piled up to keep the
floodwaters out.
Portions of
some streets were flooded, with water roughly 8 to 12 inches deep,
reaching the wheel wells of cars in some spots. Police have stationed
officers and set up barricades all over the city blocking roads. No one
is being allowed into Charleston, and once people drive out, they won't
be allowed back in until the flooding subsides.
In
one area, water swirled like a toilet down a storm drain. Public works
crews patrolled the city, checking storm drains in case they needed to
be cleared of debris.
Elsewhere, coastal
flooding remained a threat — particularly in the Virginia Beach area and
the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The weather service issued a warning
for residents living along the coast to be alert for rising water. A
combination of high water and high waves could result in beach erosion
and damage to docks and piers.
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