South Carolina's emergency managers are planning for an estimated influx of more than one million visitors into the state for several days on either side of the August 2017 solar eclipse. The SC Emergency Management Division advises the state's citizens to be prepared for this historic event by keeping safety in mind.
Beginning around 2:38 p.m. on Monday, August 21, 2017, viewers who have gathered in areas like Greenville, Columbia and Charleston, S.C., will experience the longest period of 100% total eclipse for a metro area on the entire East Coast of the United States — ranging from two minutes and 30 seconds to two minutes and 36 seconds of total darkness. Aside from the shear number of expected visitors expected in communities along the path of eclipse, there will be safety issues on roads and highways as many drivers are expected to slow down during totality.
To give South Carolinians an idea of what hazards may occur, the SCEMD has created Total Eclipse Safety Tips. The documents are available in both English and Spanish.