Waccamaw River to crest Wednesday, extensive flooding predicted

The rapid water rising along the Waccamaw River has created an entirely different emergency than the flash flooding residents and first responders have experienced across Horry County in recent days.

“These people here expect it,” said Assistant Chief Justin Gibbons of Horry County Fire Rescue, who stood watch with officials from numerous emergency agencies as residents boated back and forth through Lees Landing on Tuesday getting ready for the river’s expected crest Wednesday night.

“The majority of the people back here are prepared for flooding,” Gibbons said. “They understand it, they’ve lived through it, they’ve chosen to live here in this beautiful area and when it gets like this they know what to do.”

Most houses by the river are on stilts so the majority of residents are expected to ride out the flood.

But when the river rushes indoors to low-lying dwellings, water gets into electrical panels or power is lost, residents know to call 911 to be rescued, Gibbons said.

Fire and rescue workers had completed 20 such rescue runs on Tuesday, as the water climbed quicker than expected.

Weather forecasters originally predicted the Waccamaw River would crest by Friday, but conditions changed quickly and the water is now expected to peak at 15.7 feet by 10 p.m. Wednesday -- that’s just two feet lower than what Hurricane Floyd delivered in 1999.

The rain delivered by the weekend storm is expected to create the third highest flood in the river’s history, according to the National Weather Service.

The difference in the flooding conditions caused by Floyd and the present situation is the river rose by mere inches before Floyd so residents had more time to prepare.

However, this storm flooded the river by nearly seven feet in just five days so residents have less time to evacuate or make preparations to hunker down in the flood zone.

“We got out last night, now we’re waiting on a boat to get back in,” said Cole Tompkins. “We’re flying by the seat of our pants right now.”

Emergency vehicles as well as cars and boat trailers belonging to residents lined the roadway at the floodwater’s edge in Lee’s Landing.

Residents who had already evacuated the area traveled back through the floodwaters by boats and four-wheelers, or trudged on foot through the water to

check on property and collect last-minute items. Those who planned to stay were hauling groceries and supplies back to their water-locked homes.

“It’s a completely different animal than what we’ve been dealing with the last two days,” Gibbons said of the flash flooding that occurred in Carolina Forest.

“If you’re a retired person and you move to Bellegrove and you have a Honda Civic in your driveway, you’re not getting out, you need the fire department to come help you. So it’s a different situation we’re dealing with here -- these people have trucks.

“Down here they want us to make sure the road’s clear for them, they want you to help them if they ask, but we’re not getting a rash of 911 calls from the people of Lee’s Landing,” Gibbons said.

Evacuation is voluntary along Lee’s Landing, and other flood zones at Riverside Drive, Jackson Bluff, Cox Ferry Circle and Savannah Bluff Landing.

“The reality is … these are their homes. We’re not going to stop them from going to their homes, especially if they are going to get their property.”

Interference from sightseers has not been a problem at Lee’s Landing, but farther down S.C. 90 along Star Bluff Road, Travis Barnhill said boaters on the

Waccamaw have come “screaming” down the river causing three-foot waves to crash across flood-damaged properties and into one house already flooded with a foot of water.

“We don’t need oceanfront conditions on the river, it’s bad enough with the floodwater,” Barnhill said.

“We’re asking river riders who are out sightseeing to be responsible about their wakes, because people’s homes and property are under water, and this just causes further damage. We’re still in an emergency situation, and really, only emergency and medical craft should be out there running at full speed,” Barnhill said.

Horry County officials also urge folks not to create more problems just to check out the damage.

“Officials are deterring people from sight-seeing in those locations by car and by boat. Boat wakes can cause additional damage to property and people are highly encouraged to stay away unless you are a property owner,” Horry County spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier said.

This story was originally published October 6, 2015 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Waccamaw River to crest Wednesday, extensive flooding predicted."