Image copyright Reuters Image caption Hundreds of people have been rescued from their homes and cars due to the historic flooding

The death toll from severe flooding in the US states of North and South Carolina has now risen to 17, say authorities.

South Carolina had 15 weather-related deaths, six of them as a result of floodwaters sweeping over vehicles.

Tuesday was the first dry day in Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, since 24 September, but a full recovery is still a way off.

Authorities are warning residents that more evacuations are possible.

Masses of floodwater are flowing toward the ocean, compromising dams and displacing people.

"God smiled on South Carolina because the sun is out," said South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

That is a good sign, she added but with a note of caution.

"We are going to be extremely careful. We are watching this minute by minute."

Image copyright AP Image caption A woman assesses the damage to her mother's home in Columbia

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Federal authorities are in South Carolina to help with dealing with the floods

The 15th person killed in flooding in South Carolina was named as 30-year-old Sampson Pringle.

His body was recovered from a lake on Tuesday morning.

Earlier in the day, a coroner identified a man found drowned in his car as Richard Nelson Milroy, who was 82 and lived in Columbia.

In Charleston, streets are closed and sandbags are piled up to keep floodwaters out.

Safe drinking water was still hard to come by on Tuesday, with 40,000 homes lacking potable water in Columbia and another 375,000 residents being told to boil water before using it.

Torrential rains in the Carolinas are being aggravated by a weather system connected to Hurricane Joaquin in the Caribbean.

One weather station in Columbia recorded 17 inches (43cm) of rain on Sunday.

President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency in South Carolina, which allows for state and local authorities to receive federal funding for flooding help.