WATCH: South Carolina pond drained after rain from Debby overwhelms dikes

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WLOS) — Waterlogged areas of South Carolina brace for more rain as Tropical Storm Debby slowly makes its way back to shore.

News 13 crews spoke with Ian Padgett, a property owner in Colleton County, who says a 20-acre pond was drained after two dikes failed amid Tuesday's downpours.

The pond is located along CavanaughRoad, about two miles down the road from McGrady Dam and 10 minutes from Walterboro.

Padgett said the lower pond was drained after a dike failed. A second dike, which serves as the main driveway, was washed out as water from an upper pond gushed through the break and into the lower pond.

"The emergency overflow was going as hard as it could go and I quickly realized that we had too much water coming in and not enough going out so I feared it was going to blow that dike out. Within thirty minutes of me seeing it for the first time, we didn't have a lower pond anymore," saidPadgett.

DEBBY SWIRLS OVER ATLANTIC, EXPECTED TO AGAIN DOUSE THE CAROLINAS BEFORE MOVING NORTH

According to Padgett, the ponds were drained in a matter of minutes, and the water flowed into a creek and ultimately ended up in a swamp.

There were no reports of injuries. The property owner says repairs will likely reach six figures in costs.

"Fortunately, nobody got hurt. I live with my two teenage boys and we were all good, we just messed with a lot of water yesterday," he said.

On Tuesday, WCIVreported that the Colleton County Fire Department advised the McGrady Dam had the potential to fail, and people that lived in the area should evacuate.

On Wednesday, emergency officials told News 13 that emergency systems worked and the dam did not fail.

TS Debby has moved off the coast into the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to move north toward the South Carolina coastline for a second landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.

The National Hurricane Center says tropical conditions will affect parts of the South Carolina and North Carolina coast through Thursday.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued a state of emergency on Tuesday ahead of the storm's arrival.

"This weather has the potential to bring intense rain and flooding to North Carolina and we are preparing for it," Gov. Cooper said in a written statement. "As the weather becomes more severe, I urge everyone to take precautions and stay safe."

GOV. COOPER DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR DEBBY, WHICH WILL SHIFT SLIGHTLY WEST

Residents are advised to stay aware and keep a watch on the forecast. State officials advise these tips to make sure your family is personally prepared:

• Have multiple ways to receive emergency info, including watches and warnings. Make sure emergency alerts are enabled on your cell phone and download a weather app.
• Have an emergency plan. Know where you would go if you need to evacuate. Make a plan to stay with family, friends or at a hotel. Public shelters should be a last resort.
• Gather some emergency supplies or refresh your emergency kit. VisitReadyNC.gov for info on how to build an emergency kit.
• Never drive through flooded roadways or around barricades.
• Make sure you know where to seek shelter if a tornado warning is issued for your area.
• Ensure that you have multiple ways to receive warnings, especially with the potential for severe storms to be moving through during nighttime hours.
• Check to see if your community offers emergency alert services for its residents.
• Avoid unnecessary travel.