New video out of South Carolina shows the incredible extent of the flooding which has ravaged parts of the state – as well as the extent to which ordinarily people will go to help in a disaster.
GoPro camera footage shot by Tyler Pearson Sunday shows him navigating the flood-washed streets of Columbia, South Carolina in one of the few ways still possible: via kayak.
Pearson and other members of the Columbia Whitewater Paddle Club headed out in their kayaks over the weekend to try and locate people who may be trapped in their homes by the flood and, if possible, deliver them food and other relief supplies.
In the video we see Pearson navigate his way down what was once a city street, now submerged by floodwater that reaches as high as the roof of some buildings.
At several points, he taps on the windows of submerged houses, trying to reach anyone who might be trapped inside.
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The powerful rainstorm dumped more than 30 centimetres of rain overnight on Columbia, swamping hundreds of businesses and homes.
Emergency workers waded into waist-deep water to help people trapped in cars, dozens of boats fanned out to rescue others in flooded neighbourhoods and some were plucked from rooftops by helicopters.
More door-to-door search operations are planned Monday.
-With files from the Associated Press
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