Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. described the rainfall as historic, predicting the rainfall would reach the highest ever levels recorded in his city for the month of October.
“What we are experiencing is an unprecedented event. That is the huge amount of rain over a relatively short period of days,” he told the Charleston City Paper.
“This will eventually pass,” the mayor said. “Our goal right now is just to get everybody through safe and in the most pleasant manner possible.”
Police in the city closed more than 50 roads and urged motorists to avoid side streets that still have significant amounts of flooding.
“It is important for motorists to exercise extreme caution and please don’t drive through standing water,” Charleston Police spokesman Charles Francis said in an emailed statement.
On Saturday, President Obama declared a state of emergency in South Carolina, ordering federal aid to bolster state and local efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency were authorized to coordinate all disaster relief efforts.
Also on Saturday, an animal shelter in Dorchester county became flooded, ABC4 reported, prompting dozens of people to turn up at the Francis Willis SPCA to offer to adopt the pets.
“People just started lining up in droves out there on the street and just walking in and coming through the flood waters and saying, ‘What dog can I take? I’ll take whatever you have.’” Jennifer Bunch, the president of the SPCA, told ABC4.
More than 50 dogs found temporary and permanent homes, Bunch said.
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