Tropical Storm Debby Sparks Severe Flooding Concerns in Carolinas

Tropical Storm Debby made landfall northeast of Charleston, causing heavy rainfall and flash flooding concerns in South and North Carolina. After previously hitting Florida as a hurricane, the storm moved across Georgia before reaching the Atlantic. Experts warn of continued heavy rains, power outages, and potential flooding in the coming days.

Tropical Storm Debby made a second landfall northeast of Charleston early on Thursday, intensifying fears of flash flooding in already waterlogged areas of South and North Carolina. The storm reentered land near Bulls Bay, South Carolina, just three days after initially striking Florida's Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday.

By Thursday morning, Debby had moved about 80 miles southeast of Charlotte, North Carolina, and 110 miles southwest of Raleigh. The storm has already claimed at least seven lives and could dump an additional 3 inches of rain in eastern South Carolina, potentially exceeding 25 inches in some spots since Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Rich Bann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Debby could intensify rainfall after spending the last day over the Atlantic. Moving northwest at 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, the storm is expected to weaken to a tropical depression but will still pose significant flooding risks. Emergency management officials are monitoring river systems closely as rainwater drainage could contribute to flooding long after Debby has moved northward.