News / Society

19 people dead in flooding in North and South Carolina

Thursday, 08 October 2015 6:00 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 08 October 2015 8:26 AM ]

A resident uses a kayak to maneuver around his flooded neighborhood in Summerville, South Carolina, on October 7, 2015. (AFP photo)

Flooding from historic rainfall in the US states of North and South Carolina has killed more people as several dams failed to hold swelling waters.

The death toll in the Carolinas rose to 19 when bodies of two railroad workers were found on Wednesday morning.

Nine people drowned and eight others were killed in weather-related car crashes in South Carolina. Two people were also killed in the North Carolina state.

A resident walks through the flood water around his home on October 7, 2015 in Givhans South Carolina. (AFP photo)

In South Carolina alone, at least 14 dams have failed since the weekend after parts of the state received more than 2 feet (60 cm) of rain.

Residents of South Carolina are bracing for more evacuations in areas near dams and swollen waterways across the state.

Authorities warned residents in South Carolina's Lowcountry that flood waters were moving in their direction and would have major impacts.

Lowcountry residents were reportedly piling up sandbags around their homes, businesses and tourist attractions as they prepared for the surge of water.

"We are going to be extremely careful. We are watching this minute by minute," South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said.

The rain has almost stopped but high waters are still threatening residents in South Carolina after the historic flooding inundated virtually the entire state.

Rescue crews continued to free residents in South Carolina's capital city of Columbia that were trapped by severe flooding.

“I believe that things will get worse before they get better,” Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said on Monday.

“Eventually the floods will abate, but then we have to assess the damage, and I anticipate that damage will probably be in the billions of dollars, and we’re going to have to work to rebuild. Some peoples’ lives as they know them will never be the same,” he added.