The worst for Oconee pronounced past

Oconeeans awake this morning knowing that, for them, they escaped the full force of the weekend weather event that Governor Haley has suggested has not been felt in the state in one thousand years.  Yesterday the winds still had a kick and wet ground further weakened the base of several trees, but Oconee Emergency Services’ Scott Krein felt confident enough at mid-morning yesterday to declare “the worst of the worst” appeared to be at end.  But Krein made that declaration, with the caveat that for the next day or so the danger lies in weakened trees that fall on power lines.  Yesterday morning Krein and other county emergency officials were starting to organize a deployment of local responders for parts of the state where the rainfall created flood conditions.  By 8 o’clock last night, fast moving floodwaters caused numerous road closings and delays statewide.  Five weather-related deaths were reported.  The state patrol had 255 troopers on duty and others on standby.  DOT had used 30 thousand sandbags.  I-95 between I-20 in Florence County and I-26 in Orangeburg was closed.  School districts in 19 counties are closed or on a delayed schedule.