FLORENCE COUNTY, SC (WBTW) – Residents that live near Lynches River at Effingham have evacuated in the aftermath of Florence.
 
Candace and Gene Brunson own a home right beside Lynches River, and told News13 they have been through several floods in the past three years.
 
“We have never had the flooding like we’ve had since 2015,” said Mrs. Brunson. “That is the highest that we’ve ever seen it.”
 
Mr. Brunson said the flooding wasn’t as bad when Hurricane Matthew hit in 2016.
 
“When Matthew came it was already ruined, but it [water] never did come in the house from Matthew,” he explained. “It came about two feet from the bottom of the house which is up on stilts.”
 
The Lynches at Effingham is currently at 8.26 ft. Minor flood stage is at 14 ft., and it will hit that early Saturday morning. The forecast is for a crest of 18.1 Sunday morning which is higher than Matthew, but not as high as the Oct. 2015 flood.
 
Matthew’s crest was at 17.8 ft., and the October 2015 flood hit at 19.7 ft.
 
The record for Lynches River at Effingham is 21.2 ft. set in 1945.
 
Florence County issued an evacuation for the area on Friday after Florence hit the area, and the Brunsons are taking it seriously.
 
“We’ve already taken a lot of furniture out, and a lot of the stuff we have up,” he said. “We’ve got everything out of the bottom cabinets,” Mrs. Brunson added. “Everything in the yard, and everything on the floor level is up because it will get flooded.”
 
The couple said they are worried about the damage that the flooding might cause because they’ve dealt with it from past storms.
 
“Mold, mildew, ruined carpets, rugs, refrigerators, warped wood, and anything electrical,” they said.
 
The Brunsons said it took three weeks to evaluate the damage to their house the last time they evacuated because roads were closed.
 
“People could not travel the roads,” Mrs. Brunson said. “And the only way we knew what was going on with this house, the neighbors got in their kayaks and took pictures.”
 
Lynches River’s flood stage is 14 ft., and at 15.5 ft. floodwaters on Lynches River will affect portions of North Old Georgetown, Roundtree, and Ben Gause Roads near Effingham and New Hope. The roads will be impassable in places. Locations downstream such as Half Moon Landing, and the Neck should expect flood waters later in the week.