Saving a Pee Dee town from the next flood

2016 and 2018 will be remembered as the years that forever changed the small town of Nichols, South Carolina.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 and Hurricane Florence in September 2018 flooded out the town, which sits at the confluence of the Lumber and Little Pee Dee Rivers. For residents, business owners and town leaders, it meant rebuilding homes and businesses, having to live with friends for months at a time and hoping that the federal government would step in to assist residents who were spending their lifetime savings to rebuild.

Carolina News reporter Matthew Edwards interviewed residents of the Nichols community to learn about their struggles, how the town is applying for federal and state funding to rebuild and what the town is doing to prevent a third flood.  If they do not obtain outside help, Nichols town leaders fear the town could cease to exist.

Take a few minutes to read about life in Nichols over the last four years.