Ivan leaves 22,000 without power across Upstate

e-mail this story Related Related stories: • Weather threat leads to widespread cancellations Related Web site • PensacolaNewsJournal.com photos of Ivan

Oconee County was the hardest hit area in the Upstate, with county rescuers trying to rescue some residents trapped in their home in a low-lying area near a Lake Hartwell tributary on the Georgia line.

Significant damage was reported to homes in the Westminster and Salem areas.

Duke Power expects the number of customers without power to rise during the day, said Tom Williams, company spokesman. There are 93,000 customers without power across both states.

There are no estimates on when power will be restored. Residents are advised not to go near downed power lines.

Power outage totals include: 7,800 in Anderson County; 5,700 in Oconee; 4,800 in Greenville; 2,200 in Spartanburg and 1,900 in Pickens, Williams said.

Two to three inches of rain have fallen across the Upstate since Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

It has caused numerous creeks and rivers to rise, but none are at flood stages this morning.

However, that could change with more rain expected and the ground already saturated from previous rains. The Upstate remains under flood watch until 6 a .m. Sunday, and there is also a high wind advisory.

Tornadoes were reported to have touched down around midnight near Iva in Anderson County and another in Laurens County, according to weather service.

No details were available or damage reported, said Tommy Thompson, Anderson's emergency services director.

A Laurens County deputy saw a funnel cloud that touched down briefly in a wooded area in the Mountville area, according to Ray Blackwell, director of Laurens County Emergency Management.

No damage was reported. It was monitored and didn't touch down again as far as authorities could tell.

Scattered power outages were reported in the Clinton area.

County emergency officials won't know the extent of damage until late in the morning when crews can start moving quicker because of better visibility, authorities said.

Numerous trees started to break this morning, according to the Greenville County Sheriffs Office. Upstate roads are in various stages of damage. River Road in Anderson had standing water in spots and numerous tree limbs across the road.

Anderson Road leading into downtown Greenville also had spots of standing water. Everest Street off of Edwards Road was blocked by a downed tree.

A large oak tree has crushed three trailers containing chairs for Renfrew Baptist Church's new family life center, said Annie Anderson, director of the church's child development center. They haven't inspected the damage yet because power lines are down.

"We're afraid to get to close," Anderson said.

There also is a tree down along Mountain Creek Road.

There is a power line down at 122 West Circle in the Kendall Green section of Greenville, said Lt. Mike Gambrel, police spokesman. A tree was also blocking Elmore Street at the intersection with West Washington Street.

In Pickens County, Mount Taber Church Road was blocked by trees on both ends.

Among the hardest hit areas was the Pendleton-Townville region.

Oconee County schools were closed, and Pickens County schools opened two hours late.

Anderson District 3 schools were closed, and there was no power at Iva Elementary.

Although there were reports of homes and property damaged, no people were injured or killed in the tri-county corner of the Upstate, according to early morning reports.

About 10 roads were closed because of flooding in Oconee County and trees blocked numerous others, said Henry Gordon, Emergency Management director in Oconee.

The Westminster area was the hardest hit, but there was damage all over the county, Gordon said.

The rescue operation to get people from a house on a flooded area off Cooper Road near the Georgia line was in progress about 9 a.m., and the people were safe, just cut off by high water, Gordon said.

Homes were damaged in the Eastwood Meadows subdivision, on Clearmont Road and Old Seneca Road in the Westminster area, and in the Tamassee Salem area, according to early reports.

In Pickens County, flooding closed City Lake Road north of Pickens, and fallen trees closed Bud Smith Road near the County Commerce Park near Liberty, said Ashley Harris, a spokesman for Pickens County Emergency Management.

U.S. 178 north of State 11 to the North Carolina line was closed in the early morning because of downed trees and has been reopened. No private property damage or personal injuries were reported in the morning.

In Anderson County, school bus drivers called in reports of numerous trees down on roads in the Pendleton-Townville area and the city of Anderson was hit hard, said Tracy Bowman, assistant supervisor with Anderson County Emergency Services.

About 9,000 homes were without power and trees blocked numerous roads, she said.

Lewis Street in Anderson, Bowen Road at Midway Road and Hendricks Road in the Three and Twenty area were some of the major commuter roads blocked by trees, she said.

The Associated Press is reporting Ivan was the deadliest hurricane to hit the United States since Floyd in 1999, but it could have been worse.

It spared New Orleans and left millions feeling lucky in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. But storm-battered Florida was less fortunate. Ivan flattened homes, swamped streets and spun off at least a dozen tornadoes in the Panhandle.

In all, the hurricane was blamed for 70 deaths in the Caribbean and at least 24 along the Gulf Coast, most of them in Florida. More bad news could await: Tropical Storm Jeanne looms in the Atlantic on a track toward the southeastern United States — and, possibly, Florida.