Debby is most likely to flood these places in the Myrtle Beach, SC, area

As Tropical Storm Debby approaches South Carolina, the Myrtle Beach area could see major flooding later this week.

While the storm’s path remains uncertain, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Monday morning that southeast Georgia and South Carolina’s coastal plain could receive historic heavy rainfall.

According to NOAA, South Carolina’s coast has a high risk of flash flooding, which it defines as at least 70%. While rainfall is a major factor, wetlands and rivers also make the Myrtle Beach area vulnerable to flooding.

The National Flood Insurance Program calculates flood insurance rates based on exposure to variables like inland floods, storm surges, tsunamis, the Great Lakes and coastal erosion. These are the areas around Horry and Georgetown County most likely to flood, based on FEMA data of zip codes with the highest current cost of flood insurance for single-family homes.

Zip code 29587: Myrtle Beach

Living at near the beach comes with flood risks and homeowners in this Horry County zip code currently pay $1,072 annually on average for flood insurance. According to FEMA, 100% of policies in the 29587 zip code have exposure to both inland floods and storm surges.

Zip code 29440: Georgetown

Flood insurance in this Georgetown County zip code runs residents roughly $858 a year. With Winyah Bay and the Waccamaw River in the area, 100% of policies have exposure to inland floods and 99.9% have exposure to storm surges.

Zip code 29585: Pawleys Island and Litchfield by the Sea

The average resident in this Georgetown County zip code pays about $779 annually to protect their home from flooding. Unsurprisingly, home policies in the beachfront neighborhood have 100 percent exposure to inland floods and storm surges.

Zip code 29582: North Myrtle Beach

This Horry County zip code is home to beaches like Cherry Grove and Atlantic Beach, as well as fresh water systems like House Creek. Homeowners pay roughly $767 a year for flood insurance. Policies in the 29582 area code have a 100% exposure rate to inland floods and a 97.2 percent exposure rate to storm surges.

Zip code 29545: Green Sea

This unincorporated Horry County community is miles away from the shore and policies in the zip code have no exposure to storm surges. However, policies in the area have 100% exposure to inland flooding and residents pay $758 on average for flood insurance annually.

You can learn more about the National Flood Insurance Program and check your zip code here on the FEMA website.

This story was originally published August 6, 2024 at 6:00 AM.