Gov. McMaster orders evacuation for SC coast ahead of Hurricane Florence

Sept. 10--PINE RIDGE, S.C. -- S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster announced a mandatory evacuation of the South Carolina coast on Monday.

Eight counties along the coast would begin evacuating as of noon on Tuesday, McMaster said at a press briefing on Monday.

McMaster said he would reverse lanes on four main roads to facilitate the evacuation. As many as a million people could leave the coast because of the order, the governor said.

"We know the evacuation order I'm issuing will be inconvenient," McMaster said. "But we're not going to gamble with the lives of the people of South Carolina."

As of noon Tuesday, lanes will reverse on Interstate 26 from Charleston to Columbia and Highway 501 from Myrtle Beach.

Highways 278 and 21 in Beaufort County will be ready for reversal as of noon, but officials will wait to make an order at that time.

State offices and schools will also close in 26 counties in the lower part of the state on Tuesday, including Richland and Lexington counties, McMaster said. Some schools will be used as evacuation shelters, which will open as needed, officials said on Monday.

Florence would create more wind than Hugo and more water than Matthew, McMaster warned.

Projections on Monday show the storm making landfall in the area of Wilmington, N.C., early Friday morning, but with much of South Carolina still under threat of seeing a significant impact.

State lawmakers were saying the governor would order an evacuation beginning Tuesday. State offices and schools would also be closed in the affected counties, lawmakers said.

S.C. Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Horry, tweeted Monday afternoon that McMaster had announced to members of the Geveral Assembly he will order evacuations for the coast beginning at noon on Tuesday. S.C. Rep. Tim McGinnis posted to his Facebook page that lanes on major state roads would be reversed to facilitate the evacuations.

Florence had strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane mid-day Monday, with sustained winds of 130 mph.

"The hurricane's wind field is expected to grow with time as it approaches the coast of the Carolinas," said John Quagliariello from the National Weather Service in Columbia. "It is still expected to be a large and extremely dangerous hurricane when it makes landfall," expected late Thursday.

Quagliariello emphasized that the impacts of a hurricane, including tropical storm-force winds, can extend more than 100 miles from the storm's center. And hurricane winds can extend more than 50 miles from the center, putting much of the state well inland at risk for destructive winds.

Life-threatening storm surges are also likely along portions of the coastline, in addition to high surf and "deadly" rip current risk, which Quagliariello said will continue through the week.

"Once Florence moves inland, it is expected to weaken and move very slowly, resulting in a prolonged and exceptionally heavy rainfall event along and north of the track," he said. "This could result in significant river flooding across portions of the state into next week."

On Saturday, McMaster formally declared a state of emergency, allowing officials to put hurricane preparations into effect and begin coordinating resources. The S.C. National Guard can also be deployed during an emergency as necessary.

The state has submitted a request to President Donald Trump for a federal disaster declaration, clearing the way for federal funds and assistance for any damage from the storm.

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