Weekend storms cause little local damage

By RANDY BURNS
Item Staff Writer
rburns@theitem.com

Storms struck South Carolina Friday night and Saturday morning causing damage in as many as 10 counties, according to state emergency management officials.

South Carolina Emergency Management Public Information Director Derrec Becker said seven tornadoes touched down in western South Carolina late Friday and early Saturday, including one that cut a path half a mile wide from Beech Island to New Ellenton, with the most significant damage reported in Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson and Greenwood counties.

The band of weekend storms blamed for one man's death in South Carolina also caused at least $6 million in damages, officials said Monday. Nearly 2,000 insurance claims had been filed by Monday afternoon and preliminary damage estimates were expected to rise, said Allison Dean Love of the South Carolina Insurance News Service.

"There may be people who are still filing claims," she said. "We'll have a better idea as to what the total figures are later this week."

One traffic-related death as a result of the storms has been confirmed in Aiken County, Becker said. James Adkinson, 63, of Beech Island, died around 11:30 p.m. Friday when a car he was driving struck trees that had fallen over the roadway.

In Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties, emergency management officials reported minimal damages. Lee County Assistant Director of Emergency Management Brandon Holloman said a thunderstorm with high winds caused some trees to go down in the Ashland community causing isolated power outages.

Clarendon County Emergency Management Director Anthony Mack said there were no reports of damages in Clarendon County.

There were also no damage reports in Sumter County, officials said.

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) is currently assisting several counties in South Carolina which were affected by severe weather. Crews continued to work Monday to remove debris and assess damage to determine if federal emergency money could be drawn down, Becker said.

SCEMD reported Monday the storm leveled at least 49 homes, 107 homes had major damage, and another 141 homes had minor damage from tornadoes that ripped through the state. Damage assessments are ongoing in the affected counties.

South Carolina Electric and Gas reported that a few dozen of its customers in Aiken County were still without power Monday, but electricity had been restored to most of the 10,000 SCE&G customers and 13,000 Duke Energy customer who lost power over the weekend.

National Weather Service forecasters said Monday afternoon that another round of severe weather could impact the state overnight and early today. Severe thunderstorms with possible tornadoes could spread into the state Monday night and today in advance of a cold front expected to move through the state later today.

Associated Press Writer Katrina A. Goggins contributed to this story.