The flooding in South Carolina is so bad you can see it from space

Advertisement

An inordinate amount of rain earlier this month from Hurricane Joaquin caused major flooding in the Carolinas and has killed at least 17 people, some of whom drowned trying to wade through the deep water.

Advertisement

South Carolina in particular was hit especially hard - so hard, in fact, that the damage is visible from space.

A NASA satellite image posted to Twitter by the Wilmington, North Carolina, branch of the National Weather Service highlights dirty floodwater full of debris and sediment heading for the coast:

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

John Metcalfe at the Atlantic's CityLab estimates that the huge pooling of mud through Lake Marion could be about 20 miles long.

Advertisement

As of Wednesday, officials told residents in Columbia, South Carolina, to head for higher ground because the Beaver Dam at Pebble Creek was "about to break," which would have sent millions of gallons of water flooding through the town, according to the Weather Channel.

The dam has since been secured, but tens of thousands of residents are still without clean water.

NOW WATCH: Aerial footage shows the true devastation of South Carolina flooding