Palmetto State News

Governor McMaster Declares State of Emergency for South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster issued Executive Order 2024-16 today, declaring a State of Emergency in anticipation of Tropical Storm Debby's potential effects. The order activates the South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan and enables state agencies to coordinate resources.

"Team South Carolina is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Debby and has begun preparing for its potential impact on our state," said Governor Henry McMaster. "With a potentially significant rainfall event forecast for the next few days, it is critical that residents in potentially affected areas start making preparations and plans today—in case it is necessary to take quick action."

Forecasters from the National Hurricane Center predict that Tropical Storm Debby will intensify before making landfall as a hurricane in Florida on Monday. The storm is expected to slow down and begin impacting South Carolina early this week, bringing heavy rainfall that could result in life-threatening flash, urban, and river flooding. Strong winds and storm surge are also anticipated.

Residents and visitors in vulnerable areas should review their emergency plans and consider actions they would need to take if the storm threatens the state. Monitoring local news media and updates from the National Hurricane Center is crucial, particularly for those in low-lying coastal areas.

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) offers several resources for hurricane preparedness at hurricane.sc. This site provides an interactive tool for quick reference on hurricane preparedness.

Additionally, the SC Emergency Manager app is available on both the App Store and Google Play: http://onelink.to/dn92rx.

The official 2024 S.C. Hurricane Guide can be accessed in English or Spanish at scemd.org.