Floodwaters expose several caskets in Lowcountry cemeteries

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- Floodwaters from Tropical Storm Debby swamped several cemeteries in the Lowcountry last week, dislodging some caskets from their final resting place.

A spokesperson for the state’s Department of Public Health (DPH) said the department received reports of disinterred caskets at Monrovia Cemetery in Charleston and Canaan United Methodist Church in Ridgeville after Debby unleashed heavy rain on the area.

The situation has left family members of those buried “grief-stricken” and asking for help, according to State Rep. Wendell Gilliard (D), who represents the district where Monrovia Cemetery is located.

He sent a letter to the Department of Public Health on Tuesday requesting an investigation, calling it a “risk to public safety for those that live near this cemetery.”

A DPH spokesperson confirmed that its Interim Director Dr. Edward Simmer shared Gilliard’s concerns with staff and that the department is “looking into it.”

Meanwhile, the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (SCLLR) says there are steps the public can take.

If a casket becomes unearthed, it should be secured and immediately reported to DPH by calling 803-622-7259 or emailing esf8@emd.sc.gov and esf8a@emd.sc.gov .

Individual cemetery owners are responsible for reinterring caskets once flood waters recede, according to SCLLR.

Officials said that people should contact their local county coroner if remains are exposed. Those who are not trained in the handling of human remains should not touch them.

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