Hurricane Matthew Update 10.9.16 0030: Here's the most informative posting I've come across. It was issued from SC House of Representative Shannon Erickson (Shannon's Summary - having a non-functioning hospital and a high number of population without power is defining Beaufort County's ability to allow citizens back in to their homes & businesses. ) Here are the high points of her report: According to the NWS Charleston, the northern eyewall of Matthew brushed over the barrier islands of Beaufort County. The county remains without power. There are approximately 92,000 customers without power. The main transmission lines in the county were taken down, along with many of the feeder lines that handle the individual neighborhoods. There are no functioning hospitals in the County. Beaufort Memorial was damaged. Hilton Head Hospital was isolated by downed trees. They are working to get to the hospital. Once there they have to inspect for damage. Again, there is no power to anywhere in the county, which includes Hilton Head Island. With no power, there are no functioning traffic control devices anywhere in the county. The causeways on Central Drive (Ladys Island), Pleasant Point (Ladys Island), Cat Island were all over topped by surge and washed out. They cannot be safely driven on.
The causeway connecting the Harbor River Bridge was undermined and a sinkhole developed. It cannot support any weight beyond human. Two deputies managed to get ATV’s over there to try to get to Hunting and Fripp. They were stopped just beyond the entrance to the campground on Hunting Island. US 21 is completely blocked by interlocking downed trees. There are numerous trees on houses. There are numerous areas that are flooded. Many of these flooded areas are by rainfall runoff. This water will be a while in going away Nearly every street and yard on Fripp had standing water. The same was observed in Sea Pines. Large tracts of property were inundated with standing water, mostly rainfall. We had over 10 inches in less than 24 hours. The traditional scene of beachfront devastation was not observed. We were very fortunate in that respect. Hunting Island State Park suffered the worst beach front damage that we observed. The old Cabin Road was breached in a couple of places and the ocean entered the lagoon. The parking lots were flooded with surge waters. We were spared the common devastation scene, however we have taken a pretty solid whipping. |
