The Battery breached in Charleston as Idalia brings 9ft high tides and flooding to the Carolinas
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: The Battery in Charleston, South Carolina, which serves as a protective barrier against storm surges and flooding, was breached on Wednesday night, August 30, as Hurricane Idalia continued its destructive course.
The Battery, known for its historic homes and sea wall promenade, faced strong waves as the night set in. "Waves are now regularly breaching Charleston’s battery seawall," tweeted ABC reporter, Anne Emerson, August 30.
Waves are now regularly breaching Charleston’s battery seawall @ABCNews4 #chswx @CharlestonBrian @clairecweber pic.twitter.com/KKFB6nY7lz
— Anne Emerson (@AnneTEmerson) August 30, 2023
Idalia kills 2 in South Carolina
Idalia, now classified as a storm, has caused significant damage, resulting in at least two deaths, the destruction of thousands of homes, and leaving 300,000 people without power.
It’s a good night to stay in. Trees are down. Roads are flooded. If you encounter street flooding, turn around. Don’t drown. This is the scene deputies found on Pinckney Street in McClellanville. #HurricaneIdalia pic.twitter.com/Jqc5YF3DWo
— Charleston County Sheriff’s Office (@ChasCoSheriff) August 31, 2023
Floodwaters reached knee-high levels on streets like South Battery, King Street, and Murray Boulevard, as per CountOn News. Road cones and barricades were washed away, and a woman was seen taking photos as waves flooded around her legs and boots.
The flow remained strong despite efforts to pump water back into the sea. By 8:18 pm, the tide in Charleston Harbor hit 9.23 ft, marking the fifth-highest peak since 1921. Storm surge warnings of up to four feet were issued.
Update from the battery: One of the pumps working to pump water from the city back into the water. @Live5News pic.twitter.com/sV35B1anlD
— Molly McBride | Live 5 News (@MollyMcBrideTV) August 30, 2023
NWS Charleston warns against visiting flooded areas during Idalia
The National Weather Service (NWS) Charleston cautioned people to stay away from the beach and flooded areas.
"URGENT: Dangerous coastal inundation is going across much of the lower South Carolina coast. Do not go to the beach and stay out of flood waters. Tide levels in the Charleston Harbor are now over 9..03 ft MLLW (3.27 ft MHHW). This is a dangerous situation!" they tweeted.
URGENT: Dangerous coastal inundation is going across much of the lower South Carolina coast. Do not go to the beach and stay out of flood waters. Tide levels in the Charleston Harbor are now over 9..03 ft MLLW (3.27 ft MHHW). This is a dangerous situation! #chswx #scwx
— NWS Charleston, SC (@NWSCharlestonSC) August 30, 2023
Smaller coastal towns near Charleston also experienced the impact of Idalia. Despite being downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm on Wednesday at 5 pm, Idalia still produced powerful 60 mph winds that were capable of knocking down power cables.
