Residents in South Carolina on Wednesday started preparing for a possible second round of flooding from the state's distended rivers, as the death toll has risen to 19.
Two people died after they forced their car around a barricade that was placed on a closed road and then plunged 20-feet into the water, officials in Richland County have revealed.
A total of nine people have died in the county while driving their vehicles. The 17 that have died since the start of the flooding have all been in South Carolina, Fox News reported.
Meanwhile, about 14 dams have now been completely ruptured and collapsed as of Wednesday evening, with one being ruptured on purpose to lighten the pressure, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has revealed.
Additionally, people were required to evacuate from areas that were close to the dam, with Richland County residents asked to leave their homes on Wednesday morning near the Beaver Dam. Later on in the day, the dam was alleviated and the order for evacuation was lifted.
Gov. Haley warned that the disaster might be far from over as the public is still at risk later on in the week. "Don't let the sunshine fool you," she said, according to AccuWeather.
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham even warned that the flooding might potentially "break the bank" of federal emergency funds, which could cost about more than $1 billion.
Residents may have to hold on longer until the weekend when the risk of flooding dies down, according to the Los Angeles Times.
