‘Once in a millennium’ flooding has hit the United States’ Eastern Seaboard.

A massive storm, which came ashore over the East coat of the United States late last week has brought torrential downpours to North and South Carolina. Deluges of rain, which have lasted since Friday, are the result of wet weather being trapped over the Eastern seaboard by hurricane (Joaquin) moving over the Atlantic ocean and low pressure inland.

Ahead of the record-breaking rainfall, South Carolina Governor Nikki Hayley told reporters “This is not just any rainfall, this is going to be the heaviest rainfall we have ever seen.” Speaking later, she said, “We haven’t seen this level of rain in the low country in a thousand years.”

Coastal areas of South Carolina saw 45cm of rain fall in 24 hours over the weekend, and the flooding has so far claimed at least six lives. Emergency services have warned that river levels are dangerously high, and that some water infrastructure, including bridges and dams may be at risk unless the plume of rain is forced northwards soon. Dams at two coal fired power stations in North Carolina have showed signs of strain, and several large farms in the state have seen waste storage containers overflow, adding to concerns around floodwaters.

600 members of the National Guard have been deployed to South Carolina to help with rescue and evacuation efforts.

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from coastal areas of the two states, where flooding and flash-flood warnings were in place throughout the weekend and over one hundred people have been rescued after becoming trapped in cars in South Carolina. President Obama has signed an emergency disaster declaration retroactive to Thursday, which will free up more support for South Carolina.   

Prior to the flooding, South Carolina’s farmers had been left reeling by a period of drought, and a severe heatwave, which affected maize and other major field crops. Over the summer, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) declared 35 counties natural disaster areas in light of the crop losses to drought, freeing up support measures for local farmers.

Ahead of the flooding, farmers in the region had been warned to prepare for heavy rain and the possible landfall of Hurricane Joaquin earlier in the week. On Thursday, North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler called on farmers to work to minimise the damage that could be caused by high winds, flooding and debris.

North Carolina’s department of agriculture has set up an emergency hotline for farmers affected by the severe weather. On Friday, Commissioner Troxler said, “The probability of agricultural damage is very real. We are ready to help connect farmers with local resources right away.”

US forecasters have said that Hurricane Joaquin could bring wet weather to the UK mid-week, when the remnants of the storm make landfall, though the UK Met Office has no severe weather warnings in place.