'Unprecedented' flooding risk in Charleston

Families and businesses in the South Carolina Lowcountry are being warned to prepare for widespread and dangerous flooding impacts from Debby.

Transcript

00:00This unprecedented amount of rainfall poses a real risk of life-threatening

00:08flash flooding across Charleston. In a city known for its charm, history, and

00:14flooding problems, leaders in Charleston, South Carolina are warning families and

00:19businesses not to take any chances. Get sandbags, move vehicles off of flood-prone

00:25streets to higher ground, and don't drive through flooded streets, putting

00:29yourself and others at risk. We are ready for the rescues. We are trained for the

00:34rescues. We are prepared for the rescues. Please do not make us perform the rescues.

00:41Millions of dollars have been invested in drainage improvement projects, but

00:46leaders say it won't be able to keep up with all of the water if Debbie dumps

00:51relentless rain and pushes more water against the coastline with an onshore

00:56flow. We typically get between 50 and 60 inches of rain annually, so our system is

01:04not designed to handle this kind of volume in this short of a period. The

01:10risk of intense flooding cannot be overstated. The mayor says Debbie could

01:16cause a rare level of widespread flooding, impacting areas that haven't

01:21gone underwater in years. They're urging people who are worried that they may

01:25end up stuck in flood-prone areas to pack up and leave now. In Charleston, South

01:30Carolina, for AccuWeather, I'm Bill Waddell.