CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Severe weather is always a possibility living in the Carolinas.
It’s a reality many neighbors in the Rock Hill, South Carolina community, south of Charlotte, are dealing with today.
On Saturday, April 20, storms in York County turned destructive, demolishing five homes and damaging hundreds more.
The storms produced large hail and strong winds, resulting in power outages and significant property damage.
Response teams conducted assessments, identifying areas most impacted by the weather events.
Many neighbors told Spectrum News 1 they weren’t expecting the weather to be so severe.
York County Government Public Information Officer Greg Suskin says the weather events show severe weather could literally happen at a moment’s notice.
“We knew there was a chance of afternoon weather,” Suskin said. “The expectation was that it was not going to be as severe as it was. This storm was an eye-opening experience.”
Looking ahead, Suskin said one of the best ways for people to be prepared for severe weather is to stay alert.
“It’s always good to pay attention,” Suskin said. “Sometimes, there’s a lot of warning, we can tell people ahead of time or pass on that message from the National Weather Service of what’s coming. Other times like this one, it’s just there.”
Suskin said you must also be alert to scammers.
His team is hearing lots of reports about contractors door knocking after the storm.
“If you’re going to have someone come in and repair roof damage or any kind of damage to your house, [confirm] they are licensed, they’re insured [in their state], check reviews, check them out with the Better Business Bureau. You want to make sure you get any estimate in writing. That’s very important because we all know scammers are out there,” Suskin said.
Suskin said organizations and leaders are working together to help people with the clean-up efforts, such as removing debris away from homes and vehicles.
Samaritan’s Purse has nearly 100 volunteers helping neighbors throughout the week.
“We came out after the storm to help out homeowners who may not have the resources to get help,” said Jodie Yoder, program manager for Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief. “We’re really loving on the community, letting them know we’re here to help.”
One of the residents impacted by the storm is Johnny B. Gary Jr., a longtime resident of Rock Hill.
“I’m shocked,” Gary said.
Gary was at home Saturday when he heard the wind and rain.
He later saw how the weather severely damaged his big tree, which sliced apart into a fence and property.
“The tree survived Hurricane Hugo,” Gary said. “I just don’t know. I’ve been upset trying to figure out [what to do next].”
Gary says he’s grateful to Samaritan’s Purse for helping to clean up much of what the storm left behind.
Although the destructive weather was unexpected, Gary is thankful to be alive.
“Can’t do nothing with Mother Nature. Thank the Lord [I’m] still alive,” Gary said.
No major injuries were reported due to the storm.