Hurricane Irma: Watch Charleston Flash Flooding Swallows Cars

CHARLESTON, SC — Dramatic video showed flash flood waters several feet high that consumed cars, trucks and signs in Charleston.

A flash flood warning was issued for Charleston County as deadly Hurricane Irma lands in South Carolina. The storm was forecasted to dump about five inches of rain on the lowcountry of the Palmetto State, according to the National Weather Service

“Portions of the [Charleston] Peninsula are being closed down. Travel is unadvised,” the National Weather Service Charleston, S.C. said Monday afternoon.

Video showed extremely dangerous flash flooding outside the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, WCNC-TV reported. People could be seen wading through chest-deep water trying to reach trapped motorists.

[FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY] Streets outside the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston are flooded as rescue efforts continue. #Irma pic.twitter.com/kxkKpxT9jD
— Sarah French (@SarahSFrench) September 11, 2017

. @MUSChealth here is some video I just shot from the medical University of South Carolina @wcnc pic.twitter.com/k5BP36lhj8
— Mark Boyle (@WCNCmboyle) September 11, 2017

The warning comes at the same time parts of the lowcountry were under a tornado warning from winds up to 65mph moving through the area. A tornado warning was in effect until 1:45 p.m. for Hollywood, Ravenel and Seabrook Island, NWS said.

“Charleston Police is asking citizens to avoid downtown Charleston until flooding subsides and conditions improve,” CPD said Monday afternoon.

Mount Pleasant Police announced on Monday around 1 p.m. that area bridges were on Code Red status, meaning that wind speeds have reached at least 40 mph, making exposed bridges or those higher than 65 feet are unsafe for public travel. “At these wind speeds, law enforcement officers may not be present at bridges due to unsafe conditions. Anyone who drives over bridges against the advisory is doing so at their own risk,” the advisory said.

Earlier in the day, severe weather conditions prompted Charleston County to temporarily suspend emergency medical services (EMS) for about two hours, but they resumed around 2 p.m.

Watch: Hurricane Irma Weakens To A Tropical Storm, But It's Still Dangerous

See also:

• Hurricane Irma: South Carolina Braces For Possible Coastal Storm Surges
• Where To Find Gas In South Carolina: Hurricane Irma Evacuation
• Hilton Head Hospital Suspends Operations
• Hurricane Irma: Evacuees Land in North Carolina
• Hurricane Irma: Almost 3 Million Predicted To Be Without Power
• Hurricane Irma: How North Carolina Can Prepare
• Hurricane Irma: Joint Base Charleston To Evacuate No Later Than 6 p.m.

Image via National Weather Service