Highway crumbles following heavy rain in South Carolina, photos show
A section of highway in South Carolina was washed out in a rush of flood water after the area was rocked by thunderstorms Wednesday.
The 2300 block of Hendersonville Highway in Walterboro, South Carolina, crumbled with a car driving on it, photos and videos shared on social media show. Two people were inside the car but no one was hurt, ABC News 4 reported, citing the the National Weather Service in Charleston.
The incident occurred in Colleton County, about an hour north of Hilton Head.
The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office said “heavy rains and flooding” caused the roadway to wash out. That stretch of the highway will be closed “for weeks,” the sheriff said, while nearby roads that would usually be used as detours are currently impassable.
The Walterboro area was hit with 6 to 7 inches of rain overnight and in the morning, ABC News 4 reported.
Data collected by the National Weather Service at the Walterboro Lowcountry Regional Airport show at least 4 inches fell between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday.
The Weather Service warned of possible minor flooding in low-lying areas — including Walterboro — around 7 a.m. Wednesday.
About 30 to 40 feet of highway collapsed, according to ABC News 4.
Forecasters said it was a good example of when to “turn around, don’t drown.”
“Great reminder to not drive through flooded roads as it’s difficult to determine the integrity of the road beneath you,” the Weather Service said in a tweet.
This story was originally published July 28, 2021 at 6:21 PM with the headline "Highway crumbles following heavy rain in South Carolina, photos show."
