BAMBERG, SC (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster have both declared states of emergency for counties affected by catastrophic flooding and road damage over the past two days.

In Georgia, the state of emergency will last until Wednesday for areas including Emanuel, Jefferson and Screven counties.

McMaster’s executive order activates the South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan and complements flood response efforts in the Midlands and Lowcountry regions.

“The state of emergency will ensure that our response teams have all the tools at their disposal to continue their efforts,” McMaster said.

After a dry October, many are now having to deal with damage caused by flash floods.

The flooding led to cancellations and delays for school districts including Aiken County and Orangeburg County.

In Orangeburg County, part of the sidewalk was badly damaged in washouts, leading to dozens of closed roads.

In Aiken County, the intersection of University Parkway and Vaucluse Road was closed.

In Emanuel County, high water closed the bridge on Highway 80 at 15 Mile Creek, just outside the Twin Cities, heading toward Portal. The Emanuel County Board of Commissioners has announced several other road closures Facebook page.

Many areas received 7-10 inches of rain, with totals of up to 15 inches in some localized areas, and flooding on the Edisto River is expected to continue into next week.

Schools were closed Thursday and Friday in Orangeburg County, while Bamberg County schools had eLearning days Thursday and Friday, and the school day was postponed Thursday in Aiken County.

It’s a similar story in Bamberg County, which has been hit repeatedly this year by severe weather.

At first glance, some areas look like lakes, but they are actually roads.

In Bamberg County, resident Paul Eubanks says, “We live in a swamp. Most of Bamberg County is in a swampy area.”

It is a common place to see a lot of rain.

“It doesn’t rain like that, not like that. Those two nights, it just rained and rained and rained and rained,” Eubanks said.

The rain swallows the roads with water.

“Right here, the water got right behind these benches, almost up to this one tree,” he said. “A few outbuildings were washed away and we had water under a few houses which can cause problems.”

PHOTO GALLERY: ORANGEBURG COUNTY FLOODING

If you ask Eubanks, he says his family is lucky to be where they are.

“Here, we’re in pretty good shape. We are on fairly high ground. In other places, like down there, closer to the Hunters Chapel community and the Edisto River Road community, we have houses down there that are now in the water,” Eubanks said.

Some areas are constantly recovering.

“We have roads that we just repaired from the last rain and the drains are blown. We have some small bridges washed out,” Eubanks said.

Bamberg County Public Information Officer Alisha Moore said, “You don’t think we’ve fully recovered from Debbie because right after Debbie, Helene came. Because we got used to it and faced each other season after season. You know, people kind of already know what to do.”

Emergency officials already know which roads to watch out for whenever it rains.

“Roads like Half Moon and Sweet Pea are constantly flooded. Those roads are always under water. We are in the process of finding the funding we need to help with the drainage issue. But you know, one thing at a time, and I hope we get there, and I know we will,” Moore said.

Until then, Eubanks says, “You have to prioritize things, and it’s frustrating because you see so many things that need to be done. You can’t, we just can’t do it all at once.”

Residents are urged to avoid driving in areas that may be heavily affected and to avoid driving on flooded roads.

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