Historic city of Charleston spared worst of Hurricane Ian’s wrath

Storm struck land north of city in South Carolina, sparing the bulk of its majestic homes

The majestic Porcher-Simonds House (1856) at 29 East Battery Street in Charleston, South Carolina. Photo: Spencer Means / Public Domain

The Lamboll Double Tenement at 8 Tradd Street was restored in 1918. Photo: Spencer Means / Public Domain

The Roper House in Charleston has been called one of America's most notable restorations of a Greek Revival house. Photo: Spencer Means / Public Domain

Untouched by any of the five great Charleston fires between 1740 and 1860, Tradd Street west of Meeting appears today (if you ignore the cars) much as it did before the Revolutionary War. Photo: Spencer Means / Public Domain

A street in Charleston flooded by Hurricane Ian. Joshua Longmore / The National

Before East Bay Street was extended southward to Water Street in the 1970s, this house had the distinction of being the northernmost residence with an East Battery address. Photo: Spencer Means / Public Domain

The Thomas Hegare house is an outstanding example of an early Charleston single house well adapted to the narrow lot purchased in 1752. Photo: Spencer Means / Public Domain

The Young-Motte House (1770) at 69 Church Street in Charleston. Photo: Spencer Means / Public Domain

A car drives through a flooded street in Charleston. Willy Lowry / The National

A sign warns against parking on the grass at Quarterman Park in north Charleston, where waters from Hurricane Ian covered a footpath around a pond as well as grassy areas and the root systems of Spanish moss-covered trees. AP

Whaley-Huiet House (1901-02) is located at 41 East Bay Street in Charleston. Photo: Spencer Means / Public Domain

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said there had been no reported deaths in the state from the storm. AP

A downed electrical pole on King Street in Charleston. Willy Lowry / The National

Local resident Caden Simmons carries a US flag on a flooded street after he recovered it from floodwaters. Reuters

A boy wades through water on a flooded street as Ian bears down on Charleston. Reuters

Kieran Holloway volunteers to cut away a tree that fell on a flooded road in Charleston. Reuters

A man carries his pet dog on a flooded street in historic Charleston. Reuters

A worker clears a tree from Meeting Street after it was brought down during Hurricane Ian. Getty Images / AFP

Willy Lowry of 'The National' in Charleston. Photo: Joshua Longmore / The National

The historic city of Charleston, South Carolina, has been spared the worst of Hurricane Ian’s wrath after the storm swept through the state on Friday.

Ian, which caused historic levels of destruction in Florida earlier this week, came barrelling back onshore as a Category 1 hurricane.

It hit land 100 kilometres north of Charleston in the city of Georgetown.

Initial forecasts had the storm sweeping directly though Charleston, a historic city of 137,000 which is prone to flooding.

At the height of the storm, strong winds slammed into the Georgian and colonial homes off the city’s Battery, downing trees and even an electrical pole but not levelling any structures.

“We got lucky again that the wind came just north of us,” said local resident Bill Hecht. “The way it hit us, it actually pulled the water out of the harbour.”

Mr Hecht came out of his centuries-old home once the wind died down and immediately started clearing debris.

Falling trees after Hurricane Ian tore through Charleston on Friday. AP

Clad in hiking boots and a grey rain coat, he cleared gutters of branches to help make sure the water could drain.

Others ventured outside to walk their dogs and take stock of the damage.

Bob Crutchfield and his wife, who only moved to Charleston a year ago, walked their two spaniels along the edge of the harbour and were “pleasantly surprised” that the city and their home had escaped relatively unscathed.

“The house took quite a battering from the wind and we have lots of limbs down and a lot of debris in the yard,” Mr Crutchfield told The National. “We’ll have to clean up tomorrow but no real damage or flooding.”

The storm caused significant damage north of Charleston in the popular tourist community of Myrtle Beach, destroying several piers in the area.

About 200,000 people are without power in the state as of late Friday afternoon.

Hurricane Ian's powerful winds blow the roof off a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina. Photo: Willy Lowry / The National

A downed tree blocks a roadway in Charleston as Hurricane Ian makes another landfall. Photo: Willy Lowry / The National

A motorist drives though high water as another turns around during flooding following Hurricane Ian. AP

A surfer rides a wave following Hurricane Ian in Folly Island, South Carolina. AP

Hurricane Ian hit Florida as a Category 4 storm causing widespread damage as it crossed the state before moving into the Atlantic and hitting Charleston as a Category 1 storm. Getty Images / AFP

Shops in Charleston shut as Hurricane Ian made its way up the US coast. Getty Images / AFP

A local resident braces himself as he looks out at the Charleston Harbour while rain and wind from Hurricane Ian bear down on the city. Reuters

A city pump removes floodwater from Charleston's historic streets. Reuters

A local resident walks in a flooded street as Hurricane Ian bears down on Charleston. Reuters

A good Samaritan pulls a stuck motorists from the high waters as Hurricane Ian batters Charleston. AP

Ian is now hitting South Carolina as a Category 1 storm near Charleston. Getty Images / AFP

The streets of Charleston are currently a ghost town. Getty Images / AFP

Charleston firefighters form a plan to remove a large tree across a road felled by Hurricane Ian on Friday. AP

Age-old trees are always a problem when bad weather hits the historic town of Charleston. AP

Firefighters mark low-hanging wires after Hurricane Ian barrels through Charleston. AP

Residents use pumps to remove water from around their homes in the historic Battery as the effects from Hurricane Ian are felt in Charleston. AP

Cars drive through the nearly deserted historic district of Charleston. Getty Images / AFP

A woman walks past a shuttered and sandbagged Apple store in the historic district of Charleston. Getty Images / AFP

A local resident hauls debris from the road in an effort to keep gutter drains clear as Hurricane Ian bears down on Charleston. Reuters