Cleanup Begins As Frances Pulls Away From Carolinas

GREENVILLE -- As the remains of Hurricane Frances move off to the northeast, residents in the Upstate and North Carolina and Georgia mountains are dealing with the aftermath.

Oconee County Emergency Management Director Henry Gordon said parts of 25 county roads, 3 city roads and 3 state roads were closed by flooding Wednesday morning. Many bridges were closed across the region as rivers and streams flowed over them. A sinkhole closed Ashmore Bridge Road in Mauldin Wednesday morning.

Forecasters warned people living downstream along the Reedy River that there could be flooding Wednesday afternoon as the river rises from the runoff of a full day of rain.

Automated rain gauges indicated that nearly 8 inches of rain had fallen in Walhalla, 5.35 inches in Berea, and 4.82 inches in Sandy Springs. Some parts of North Carolina had received more than 10 inches of rain. Portions of the Pickens Flea Market on Highway 183 were under several feet of water.

At the peak of the storm, about 17,600 Duke Power customers were without power, including 3,700 in Greenville County. Most power is expected to be restored by Thursday morning.

A utility worker for a Duke Power contractor died while working to restore power Tuesday.

The Greenville County Coroner's Office said Glenn Carroll Wyatt was working for Pike Electric when he tried to fix a fallen power line on Easley Bridge Road in Greenville County just after 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Officials said Wyatt, 33, accidentally touched the live wire and was electrocuted.

A tornado was reported west of Lockhart in Union County just after midnight. Union County Emergency Services Director Steve Jones said 5 or 6 homes were damaged, and several trees were torn off 15 feet off the ground off Highway 49.

The National Weather Service examined the damage Wednesday and confirmed that the damage was caused by a tornado. Nearly three dozen tornadoes were reported to the National Weather Service Tuesday.

More than 90 primary and secondary roads are closed in North Carolina, including Interstate 40 between mile marker 67 and 72 because of a mudslide on Old Fort Mountain. One lane is open in each direction, but delays are expected.

Jackson County officials said they've received reports of mudslides and flooding up to five feet deep in low-lying areas. Residents living within 100 yards of the Tuckaseegee River were ordered to evacuate their homes.

WYFF News 4's Todd Gladfelter, Kelly Coakley and Latoya Silmon will have the latest on the storm's effects at noon, 5 and 6 p.m.

See Images From Frances' Passage Through South Carolina

Previous Stories:

• September 8, 2004: Flooding Begins To Recede, Cleanup Begins
• September 7, 2004: Flood Warnings Issued Across Western Carolinas, NE Georgia