Hurricane Florence continues to impact parts of Horry County as the Intracoastal Waterway floods into neighborhoods in the Forestbrook area.
Floodwaters started to inundate homes and roads that sit along, the Waterway, off of Burcale Road on Monday. A few miles further down off Forestbrook Road, Ed Smith Avenue is now almost completely flooded. In some areas, the area is about five feet high.
“It’s getting rough, we’re getting into the third week and we’re tired,” said Clay Ward.
He’s lived on Ed Smith Avenue for 13 years. Ward evacuated his home on Monday by boats.
“The more these events happen, the more prepared you get but you’re never prepared. It’s tough for everything to be on hold for a month of your life.”
He’s watched the floodwaters rise and engulf his neighborhood since Friday.
“My daughter’s got a little measuring stick out in the yard, and it was coming up about a foot per day. Now it’s Matthew level right now,” he said.
No water has entered Ward’s home yet since it is elevated. However, that’s not the case for homes further down from the Waterway on Ed Smith Ave that are lower to the ground.
“These two houses were not even in a floodplain at Matthew. They were devastated with Matthew two years ago. They just got everything back in their house and now it’s right back in there again,” he said.
As the Waterway continues to rise, Ward fears the worst is yet to come.
“I was hoping it wouldn’t get any higher than it is right now. But it looks like it’s on it’s way,” he said.
