Severe Storm Wreaks Havoc in Moncks Corner

In Moncks Corner, the onslaught of Tropical Storm Debby has led to widespread destruction, flipping cars, and inflicting serious damage to local businesses and restaurants.

A Surprise Attack from Debby

Early Tuesday morning, residents of Moncks Corner woke to the devastating after-effects of what is believed to have been a microburst or even a tornado. The town’s mayor, Thomas Hamilton, expressed shock and uncertainty at the quick-hitting storm: “It seems like we’ve had some type of event—microburst, tornado, we don’t know yet—come off the Tail Race and come through this plaza,” he said.

Damage Across the Landmarks

The storm cut a deadly path near US Highway 52, where it crashed into the Arby’s restaurant and other surrounding businesses. Furthermore, cars could also be seen flipped over, a testament to the intensity of the storm. Despite such significant damages, Mayor Hamilton counted his blessings: “Damaged the Arbys, went between the Walmart and the Dollar Tree building. Luckily, we have minor injuries. It didn’t hit any residential, so we’re really blessed,” he added.

Staying Away is Staying Safe

In the wake of such critical circumstances, Mayor Hamilton and Moncks Corner Fire Chief Robert Gass appealed to local residents to stay clear of the affected area, especially while emergency personnel are operating. The fire chief also urged residents to remain at home as the storm lingered. “There’s no reason to get out and sightsee,” he said. He further warned locals to keep off the potentially dangerous debris that might not have been identified during the initial survey in the dark: “Just avoid the area and during the storm, stay home,” he said.

Unconfirmed Tornado

As of Tuesday morning, whether the destruction was caused by a tornado remained unconfirmed. However, the scale of the destruction and the high level of uncertainty will certainly give the residents of Moncks Corner a stormy night to remember.

Residents are now holding their breaths, hoping for the storm to pass and waiting for the dawn of a new day when they can begin to put their lives back together.