Cameron Connell (left), 19, and David Chaney, 15, became stranded in their 1984 Ford Bronco at the corner of West Lake Forrest and Heather drives during Tuesday night's storm. JEFF JANOWSKI/STAFF

Rain causes flash floods

Web posted June 21, 2000

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By Preston Sparks
Columbia County Bureau

For the past several weeks, Augusta-area residents and officials had been praying for rain.

On Tuesday, they got more than they had bargained for.

What they got was a flood.

Heavy rains throughout the evening put Columbia, Richmond and Aiken counties under a flash flood warning until 1 a.m. today, according to the National Weather Service in West Columbia, S.C.

By 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, more than 3 inches of rain had fallen at Daniel Field airport and other areas of Augusta, according to meteorologists. Parts of southern Richmond County received an estimated 4 to 6 inches. Before Tuesday, the area had received only 1.55 inches for the month - almost 1.5 inches less than normal.

``With this heavy rain, we may get up to normal,'' said National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Petrolito. ``But it's still way too low to end the drought.''

Columbia County was especially hard hit. Emergency officials barricaded two roads - Flowing Wells Road and Town Center Drive at Washington Road - and closed the Columbia Square shopping center parking lot while keeping their eyes on two creeks - Forest Creek and Crystal Creek - that were cresting at 10:30 p.m.

Columbia County Roads and Bridges workers were sent to the creeks to monitor them for any needed evacuations. By 11 p.m., though, none was needed, and barricaded roads were beginning to drain off, Columbia County Emergency Management Agency Director Pam Tucker said.

She said the waters also broke a water retention wall that flooded a Martinez home on Hillside Court near Wheeler Road.

``It's pretty bad there,'' she said. ``Their carpet's ruined, and the water that's running through the house has mud all in it.''

Mrs. Tucker said about 20 other houses sustained similar damage in the Martinez/Evans area.

``The runoff is killing us,'' she said.

In Richmond County, drenched deputies rerouted motorists down center lanes on streets completely covered by water runoff. Flooding was reported on sections of Interstate 20, Washington Road and other streets.

Floodwaters reached car headlights on Bobby Jones Expressway near Wheeler Road and forced residents from homes on nearby Dominion Way, said Tara O'Neil of the Richmond County Emergency Management Agency.

Mobile homes floated off their foundations in Gaskins Trailer Park off Gordon Highway, Richmond County sheriff's dispatchers reported. A pond flooded behind Colonial Village Apartments off Walton Way Extension. Raw sewage crept from manholes in the 3100 block of Reynolds Street. Deputies and firefighters rescued drivers and elderly people marooned in cars and houses.

The sheriff's department received a report of a funnel cloud near Gate 5 of Fort Gordon, but responding officers found no evidence of damage.

The fire department was swamped with false fire alarms triggered by thunder and lightning.

Mrs. Tucker said the storm took emergency officials by surprise and was much stronger than had been predicted.

``It looks like we got about 4 inches all total,'' Mrs. Tucker said. ``And about two of that was in 45 minutes. So, that's what happened. And we had a storm system that came from South Carolina and another one from middle Georgia that converged right on top of us. Columbia County took the worst hit.

``You know what? We've just been praying too hard for rain.''

In Columbia Square, flooding became so bad that some people left their cars in 3-foot-deep water with their keys still in the ignitions. Police warned motorists to stay away.

Throughout the night in Aiken County, police scanners sounded fire tones at a frantic pace from the city limits to Belvedere and Graniteville. Authorities confirmed late Tuesday that at least one structure fire was caused by a lightning strike.

Just after 10 p.m., Aiken Department of Public Safety firefighters responded to a blaze at 124 Highland Forest Drive. Homeowners said the fire was caused by lightning. No one at the residence was hurt, but several of the 30 emergency personnel on the scene complained of heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation.

Some areas in Aiken received an inch and a half of rain Tuesday - enough to cause minor flooding on Whiskey Road.

Staff Writers Johnny Edwards, Chasiti Kirkland and Clarissa J. Walker contributed to this article.

Reach Preston Sparks at (706) 868-1222, Ext. 110.