Hurricane Isaias sends water over coastal roads and even into pools in South Carolina

Flooding and power outages were reported overnight in parts of coastal South Carolina as Hurricane Isaias made landfall just north of the state line.

As of 5 a.m. Tuesday, 1,200 people were without power in Georgetown County on the coast, according to Power Outage USA.

Flooding closed major roads in multiple cities from Charleston to North Myrtle Beach, with the latter reporting its Main Street was blocked by flood waters as the storm passed.

Causeways overflowed on Pawleys Island, and video posted on Twitter shows waves of storm surge flowing into hotel pools in Garden City.

Firefighters in North Myrtle Beach rescued several drivers who found themselves stuck in stalled cars on roads in rising water, WYFF reported.

Horry County Fire Rescue said it dispatched crews “to a sinking vehicle ... in flood water.” The driver was able to escape, officials said on Twitter.

Among the most notable tourist sites damaged by the storm was the Sea Cabin Pier in the Cherry Point area of North Myrtle Beach, which was missing a section in the middle. Portions of the pier were found scattered along the beach several hundred years away, photos showed.

“Do not surf or swim north of the Cherry Grove Pier until further notice,” North Myrtle Beach officials said in a tweet.

“Significant debris may be in the water. Sea Cabin Pier lost a large section to the storm & debris traveled south to the Cherry Grove Pier. City crews working to see if the debris remains in the water.”

Isaias did not spark the tornadoes predicted by the National Hurricane Center, but it did pack hurricane-force winds.

The highest winds — 72 mph — were reported shortly before 5 p.m. Monday in McLellandville, according to the National Weather Service. DeWees Island and Folly Beach both reported winds of more than 50 mph, forecasters said.

The storm increased to hurricane strength just before making landfall in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., where flooding and multiple house fires erupted simultaneously.

North Myrtle Beach firefighters also responded to “several house fires” as the storm neared the Grand Strand, according to WMBF. At least six house fires were reported, one of which resulted in “significant damage,” the station said.

This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 6:45 AM with the headline "Hurricane Isaias sends water over coastal roads and even into pools in South Carolina."