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Stories of people and communities going about the work of recovery from the floods of 2015 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016.00000177-2120-db48-a97f-fb222fb50000In October of 2015, South Carolina received rainfall in unprecedented amounts over just a few days time. By the time the rain began to slacken, the National Weather Service reported that the event had dumped more than two feet of water on the state. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the subsequent flooding was the worst in 75 years.Then, one year later, rain and storm surge from Hurricane Matthew dealt a blow to many in South Carolina still at work recovering from the 2015 floods.SC Public Radio Flood Coverage from the Beginning

Narrative: When Saviors Came by Boat

Marwan Marzagao and other men in his neighborhood used pontoon boats like these to navigate the water and deliver neighbors to safety.
Marwan Marzagao

  In the neighborhoods surrounding Lake Katherine, one of the most heavily flooded areas in Columbia last October, locals went from house to house on Jon boats and pontoons to rescue neighbors who were trapped in their flooded homes. Marwan Marzagao recalls working as a team with other men as they saved others from harm’s way.