Berkeley County, SC Environment & Hazard Risk

• HurricaneVery High$116M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$53.2M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 159 years
• WildfireRelatively Moderate$1.7M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 385 years
• LightningRelatively High$1.4M/yr expected annual loss, about 64 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively High$941K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.0 events a year
• Coastal floodingRelatively Moderate$2.5M/yr expected annual loss, about 3.6 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Moderate$4.5M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• Cold waveRelatively Moderate$4M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$219K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.2 events a year
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$1.4M/yr expected annual loss, about 2.6 events a year
• Heat waveRelatively Low$1.2M/yr expected annual loss, about 9.7 events a year
• HailRelatively Low$614K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.7 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$1,849/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• DroughtVery Low$7,164/yr expected annual loss, about 10 events a year

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

5,749 of 80,127 (7.2%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

3,874

Insured in high-risk zones

3,163 (82%)

Flood claims since 1978

619

Claims paid since 1978

$8.8M

• Thunderstorm Wind417 · 1 death
• Hail297
• Flash Flood74 · 1 death
• Strong Wind30 · 2 deaths
• Tornado30 · 1 death
• Lightning26 · 1 death
• Drought21
• Tropical Storm16
• Heavy Snow12 · 1 death
• Funnel Cloud11

• TornadoF2, 10 mi path, 666 yd wide05/10/1998

  Ladson, Berkeley County

  1 death, 7 injured, $5M damage

  What happened

  After two brief earler touchdowns in Dorchester County, the supercell crossed Interstate 26 into Berkeley County where the most extensive damage occurred. There were 442 homes damaged (17 destroyed, 113 major damage, and the remainder had minor damage. Areas hardest hit were Frankie Lane and Royale Road, where numerous mobile homes were located. There was a 90 year old female who was injured severely when her mobile home was flipped and throuwn more than 40 feet. She died several hours later. Several eye witnesses reported seeing vortices rotating around the main funnel. This fact was born out by the damage pattern in several areas.

• Strong Wind25 kt wind11/12/2006

  Berkeley

  2 deaths, $10K damage

  What happened

  Boat overturned on Lake Moultrie. 2 people drowned. They were boating during a Lake Wind Advisory and rough conditions on the boat.

• Heat08/01/1999

  Berkeley

  2 deaths

  What happened

  Oppressive heat and humidity gripped south coastal South Carolina resulting in many heat related fatalities. High temperatures from the mid 90s to near 105 degrees combined with dewpoints from the mid 70s to low 80s to produce heat indices ranging from 110 to 120 degrees during early August. All time record highs were were tied or set in Charleston and Beaufort on August 1st.

• Thunderstorm Wind55 kt wind08/19/2012

  Mc Beth, Berkeley County

  1 death, 5 injured, $2,000 damage

  What happened

  Thunderstorm winds capsized a pontoon boat on Lake Moultrie near the Pinopolis Dam. Six people were thrown into the water. Law enforcement has confirmed one death (indirect) and five injuries (indirect).

• TornadoF2, 7 mi path, 430 yd wide09/03/1998

  Moncks Corner, Berkeley County

  9 injured, $2.8M damage

  What happened

  Seventy-three (73) homes were damaged, fourteen mobile homes destroyed and seven (7) homes destroyed. The Fairlawn sobdivision, just southeast of Moncks corner was hardest hit.

• Ice Storm02/12/2014

  Inland Berkeley

  1 death, 1 injured

  What happened

  Storm total ice accumulations across Inland Berkeley County ranged from around one quarter of an inch up to an inch. The lesser amounts were observed closer to the coast near Goose Creek and Huger, while the highest amounts occurred further inland around Cross. Widespread trees and power lines were reported down across the county with widespread, long duration power outages as well. Many trees and large limbs were down on area roadways, including Interstate 26. One indirect fatality and one indirect injury resulted from the ice storm as well. The fatality and injury occurred when investigators found that a couple in the Ladson area had been using a charcoal grill to heat their enclosed bedroom in their mobile home. The 25 year old male died from carbon monoxide poisoning and his wife, of unknown age, fell ill.

• Bcwsa Sangaree W/D (0820002)Serves 95,345 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Goose Creek City of (Sc0810004)Serves 43,744 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Bcwsa East Cooper (Sc0820009)Serves 12,933 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Moncks Corner City ofServes 8,956 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Jamestown Town of (Sc0810003)Serves 800 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Macdougall Correctional Inst (Sc0870050)Serves 790 · Groundwater · StateNo health violations
• Bcwsa Sineath Mhp (0850018)Serves 594 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• O Haynes System (0850014)Serves 205 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations