CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Tropical Storm Debby pushed bad weather up the East Coast and brought no respite to residents as far away as the Great Lakes and New Jersey, where heavy rain flooded highways and streets and stranded motorists. Officials in New York told people in basement apartments to prepare to flee as forecasters warned of flash flooding. The center of Debby was over the Atlantic Ocean east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, by Wednesday afternoon. The storm has brought heavy rain to Florida, Georgia and North and South Carolina since coming ashore on the Gulf Coast of Florida early Monday. However, moisture from Debby strengthened another storm system, causing strong thunderstorms across the Great Lakes and eastward Tuesday evening.