Hampton Co. tornado traveled 24 miles while 3 others formed in Colleton, report shows
As South Carolinians, including those in Hampton and Colleton counties, begin working to recover from Monday’s deadly storms and tornadoes, new details have emerged about the twisters’ power and the damage they caused.
Throughout the state, at least 16 tornadoes touched down, killing at least nine people and causing widespread damage. The numbers of fatalities and tornadoes are expected to rise, the National Weather Service said, as officials continue to access damage.
On Wednesday, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency after the severe weather tore through the Palmetto State. The order allows the state to redirect resources to deal with the aftermath of the deadly storms. South Carolina was already under a separate state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Here’s the latest from the National Weather Service:
Strong tornado reported in Hampton County
The tornado that killed five people and injured at least 60 others in Hampton County on Monday followed an “unusually long track” and was large in width, a new report from the National Weather Station says.
The single tornado, believed to have consisted of multiple vortices, traveled 24 miles through the county. It formed near Scotia, touching down around 6:10 a.m., and ended near Fechtig, according to the report.
Its maximum width was 1,300 yards, just less than 3/4 a mile. Winds reached speeds of up to 165 mph. It was ranked EF-3, with the Enhanced Fujita Scale rating weakest winds an EF-0 and the strongest EF-5.
For comparison, hurricanes are categorized using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and a Category 5 hurricane has a sustained wind speed of 157 mph or greater.
The powerful tornado destroyed several homes, damaged others, and “caused extensive damage” to trees and power lines in its path, the report said. The most significant structural damage stretched south of Estill to Nixville, the area in which the five people died.
Of the five deaths in Hampton County, three were a husband, wife, and daughter. Donna Breeland, 56; Jim Breeland, 59; and Kayla Breeland, 26, lived together in the Nixville community, Hampton County deputy coroner Angela Topper said.
Alberto Hernandez, 41, and Rene Cruz Rodriguez, 25 also died in the storm. They were roommates who lived on Browning Gate Road.
Multiple tornadoes reported in Colleton County
Later in the day, at least three tornadoes formed in Colleton County, two of which went through Walterboro, where one person died and another was injured, according to the report. All three tornadoes were ranked EF-1.
The first tornado formed at 6:39 a.m. in Islandton, west of Route 21, and traveled nearly 1.5 miles before ending in Hendersonville. Its maximum wind speed was 90 mph. It grew up to 50 yards wide. It snapped about two dozen pine trees and broke other tree branches in its path. There were no injuries or deaths.
The second tornado in Colleton formed at 6:46 a.m. in Walterboro along Route 63 and west of I-95, where it traveled 3.16 miles throughout the city. Its maximum wind speed was 105 mph, and it grew to 100 yards wide. It overturned a tractor trailer near mile marker 55 on I-95 and uprooted or snapped hundreds of trees. No one died or was injured.
The third tornado that formed in the county near Walterboro at 6:47 a.m. killed one person and injured another. It was the largest tornado of the three with the fastest winds.
Ethel Griffin, 46, died when a tree crashed through the window of her Walterboro home, Colleton County coroner Richard Harvey said. Another person in the home was injured.
The tornado, which grew as wide as wide as 500 yards, traveled 8 miles throughout the county, damaging many trees and some residences and businesses. It also destroyed most of the hangars at the Low Country Regional Airport. It also damaged or destroyed nearly two dozen aircraft.
How to help those affected:
In the hours after the storm, residents shared stories of how they survived when the walls of their homes caved in on them. They spent the morning sifting through what was left of their belongings. Many were still in shock, including S.C. Rep. Shedron Williams, who represents Hampton County. He spoke with families along a stretch of Lena Expressway where the storm had torn apart about five houses.
“We don’t get disasters like this,” he told The Island Packet. “God is real. This is a time when the Lowcountry should pull resources even closer together.”
Local leaders in Hampton and neighboring counties have helped relief and recovery efforts, but there’s still a long way to go.
Here are some ways you can help:
▪ The central point of contact for all volunteers and donated goods in Hampton County is John Stafinski, Hampton County Fire Chaplain, according to the county’s Facebook page. He can be reached at 803-914-2161 or 843-505-4906.
▪ Hampton County Proud: An Amazon wish list has been created by this group so individuals can purchase items on the list, which will be shipped directly to those in need.
▪ Hampton County Recreation Department: The department is one of the locations in the county accepting donations to help tornado victims.
▪ Nixville Community Tornado Relief: The effort is organized through the Nixville Baptist Church., which is one of the locations accepting donations to help those affected.
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 3:11 PM.
