South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has warned that more flooding and evacuations could happen even though the rains have stopped falling as the state continues to suffer from severe floods as a result of the record-breaking rainfall.
She told people to stay at home as the state is under assessment and recovery mode after severe floods inundated wide areas as the storm dumped more than 2 feet (60 cm) of rain in parts of South Carolina.
"As we move from response mode to assessment and recovery mode, we are still encouraging people to be cautious and stay home. Do not attempt to drive through or remove barricades," Haley said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
The death toll stood at 17 on Wednesday, including people who drowned or were killed in car crashes, according to a Reuters report.
The rains finally stopped falling on Tuesday in the capital city of Columbia after two weeks of continuous rainfall, according to the National Weather Service. The city had its wettest days on record over the weekend when about 11 inches of rain fell, the weather service said, according to Reuters.
The flooding damaged 13 dams and about 270 state-maintained roads while 140 bridges have been closed, officials said. Weather forecasters warned of major river flooding through the weekend even though the rains have stopped.
State officials warned about a mass of rainwater going to the low-lying coast.
President Obama has already declared South Carolina as a major disaster zone and ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts.
Federal funding will be available to affected individuals in Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, and Williamsburg counties. The assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programmes to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
"The president has declared South Carolina a major disaster zone. Several counties are already qualified for FEMA assistance, and we are continuing to assess and add to that number over the next few days and weeks," Haley said.
A Coast Guard chopper rescued a mom and her 15-month-old baby. Ian Walts, the baby's dad, said water rose quickly.
"It was one of those things that it was so chaotic, so fast," Walts said and it was already late to call 911. "They said there's nothing we can do for you right now."
A man was trapped in his truck that swirled in water before he was rescued by a bystander.
Haley, CBN reported, warned, "just because the rain stops does not mean that we are out of the woods."
About 40,000 people are without drinking water and it's hard to get any.
