Tropical Storm Debby Devastating Southeast United States

The East Coast of the United States is being battered by Tropical Storm Debby, which started as a category one hurricane this week.

An airboat carrying evacuees from the Pinecraft neighborhood of Sarasota approaches dry land Aug. 5. Multiple law enforcement and rescue agencies conducted evacuations in the area following Tropical Storm Debby / MIKE LANG/HERALD-TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

The southeast United States knows all too well about devastating hurricane season. Debby started as a category 1 hurricane. Despite being categorized now as a tropical storm, it is still crushing the area with intense rainfall that is expected to continue into the weekend.

Tropical Storm Debby first made landfall in the United States on Monday morning around 7 a.m. when it first touched down near Steinhatchee, which is in the Big Bend region of Florida.

There have been at least six deaths related to the storm to this point. Five of them have been in Florida, with one person dying in Georgia. Trees falling down have been the main culprit in those deaths.

As Debby moves up the east coast, the storm touched land for a second time on Thursday morning. Even more devastation occurred when it crossed back off the water into South Carolina.

Near Bulls Bay, 50 MPH winds were recorded during an update provided at 2 a.m. Rain has been the biggest obstacle to overcome, as over a foot has been dropped in parts of the south and more is on the way.

In addition to rain, some areas affected by the storm have had tornado warnings issued. In Wilson County, North Carolina, a twister touched down around 3 a.m. Thursday morning, ripping through Springfield Middle School in Lucama.

The school suffered a lot of damage. Sections of roofs were torn off the building, leading to several areas being compromised or missing altogether.

“It was heartbreaking to see the school right after the event, and I want to thank all of the caring folks that have already reached out to offer assistance and support,” Wilson County Schools Superintendent Lane Mills said.

A church and four houses were also damaged, and one fatality has been reported. The storm is slow-moving, as it could remain in North Carolina through Thursday night and into Friday morning. As it continues moving inland, it will weaken, but precautions still need to be taken.

In addition to the eastern part of North Carolina, southeastern Virginia is also under a tornado watch.

“We expect this storm to continue its slow, gradual approach, bringing multiple days of heavy rainfall and the potential for widespread and severe flash flooding,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Wednesday.

More than a foot of rain is being forecasted in parts of the state. NBC News has shared that flood alerts have been issued for 22 million people who live on the East Coast, ranging from the Carolinas up through Canada.