 The Congaree River rose dramatically near Columbia during the hurricane , where rainfall totaled 5 @.@ 82 inches ( 148 mm ) , although some reliable unofficial sources state the figure to be 15 inches ( 380 mm ) . Several thousand sought safety in Red Cross shelters in schools and armories , though the Weather Bureau announced it was safe for evacuees in Charleston to return to their homes shortly after the storm came ashore . Most of the rainfall produced by Cindy was beneficial to drought @-@ stricken regions , albeit not enough to provide significant relief . 
