Disaster assistance office opens for those who suffered damage in June 10 storm

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – A disaster assistance office opened Monday for residents and businesses that suffered damage during a ‘downburst’ in the Summerville, Ladson, and Goose Creek areas last month.

Several homes were damaged by large hail and fallen trees as an intense storm moved through the area on the evening of June 10 – a storm meteorologists said was a downburst .

A disaster loan outreach center opened Monday at the Sangaree Library for those who need assistance as they make repairs from the storm.

Customer service representatives will be on hand to answer questions about the program and help people complete their applications.

There were a number of roofing business signs and people carrying debris to the roadside in the Tall Pines community on Monday – several weeks after strong winds burst through the area.

“It started raining and then all of a sudden it started getting foggy, the wind started blowing. I mean, really blowing like it was 100 miles an hour, large hail,” explained Wanda Calvary, who experienced the storm. “It hailed so much it looked like snow. […] Then the wind started blowing, the trees started falling. It was terrible. I never witnessed anything like that before.”

Calvary and her husband’s home and multiple trees down and they are still getting debris out to the road.

Many holes could be seen in the vinyl siding of a home just down the road. It was from hail that struck the house.

If you do not have insurance – or enough insurance – there is help available.

“We have set up a disaster loan outreach center here at the Sangaree Library so residents can come seek financial assistance with the Small Business Association (SBA),” said Will Rochester, Berkeley County’s Director of Emergency Management.

Resident can get very low interest rate loans to have work done if needed at the center.

Loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, French drain, or retaining wall to help protect property and occupants from future damage, according to Gov. Henry McMaster’s office.

The center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. through Friday, July 19.  The center is closed on Sundays and the July 4 holiday.

If you cannot make it to the center, applicants can apply online or by calling the Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is August 23, and the deadline to return economic injury applications is March 24, 2025.

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