CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotteans are cleaning up in the aftermath of Ian. 

What You Need To Know

  • Cleanup is underway after Ian left some homeowners with damage

  • Ian left thousands without power in Charlotte

  • Ian affected flights arriving or leaving Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, but on Saturday there were a few delays and cancellations

Ian made its second landfall as a hurricane in South Carolina on Friday. This brought heavy rain, gusty winds, power outages and some structural damage to Charlotte. 

Saturday morning, debris was visible in the Myers Park neighborhood and the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, but much of it amounted to small branches and tree leaves. 

Related: Storm Season 2022

Some, including Yolanda Prescott, suffered more significant damage. 

She lives in East Charlotte and said Friday morning a tree fell on top of her house and car. Prescott recalls strong winds and rain starting Thursday night. 

She has a preschool at her house and was teaching two students at the time. No one was hurt.

“We heard a big crash and we ran to the door because we couldn’t figure where the noise was coming from because you couldn’t tell where the noise was coming from, and then I figured it was the tree,” Prescott said. 

She couldn’t stay at her home but returned Saturday to pick up a few items and take photos. 

Prescott said she was still shaken up about the situation. 

"You have a tree fall over your head and you don’t know which way is falling is pretty traumatizing,” Prescott said. "You are scared, and I don’t want my children to be scared."

She was waiting on a tree removal company to pick up the debris to prevent more damage. 

“If it rains again, it’s going to be bad,” Prescott said. “If it rains again, it’s going to be bad,” Prescott said. 

Prescott is grateful for the support she’s received from her neighbors and a church offering space to temporarily teach. 

Meanwhile, Jim Erbs was at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport on Saturday afternoon waiting to pick up his wife, who was flying in from Orlando. 

He flew in from Chicago on Friday morning. 

The couple is in the Queen City for a wedding.

“We are happy about that. The airport here seems to have done a great job of try to work through as much of the storm as possible,” Erbs said.

Erbs said his son’s flight from Chicago was canceled Friday night. 

“Disappointed. I know he’s disappointed as well. These are family friends since he was 2 years old,” Erbs said. 

Erbs was glad that at least they were able to make it.