Myrtle Beach, Ocean Isle Beach on road to recovery after Ian

There is still a lot to clean up along the South Carolina coast near where Ian made landfall.

On Friday afternoon at Ocean Isle Beach, roads resembled rivers, and there was so much water the street was invisible.

The problem was made worse because storm surge from Hurricane Ian came at high tide. On Saturday, the water had receded. WRAL News crews could not find significant permanent damage, although some cars were partially submerged.

Along the South Carolina coast, Myrtle Beach was among the hardest hit areas after Ian made landfall around 2 p.m. near Georgetown.

Marla de Gomar is a regular visitor to the Cherry Grove Pier. Saturday's visit, she could only watch from the sand.

The beams that once held it above the waves, scattered on the beach.

“It was kind of like, 'oh wow. I can’t believe that just happened,'” said de Gomar. “it is sad, it’s sad.”

There was also significant flooding in the Cherry Grove neighborhood, with roads turning into rivers similar to conditions in Ocean Isle Beach. Yards and roads were flooded, with water reaching mailboxes.

Myrtle Beach saw record-breaking storm surge at more than 6 feet because of Hurricane Ian. The water overtook Ocean Boulevard and nearby streets, mainly on the east side of Highway 17, a stretch filled with restaurants and attractions that runs along the coastline.

Heavy winds ripped roofs and siding off businesses and homes in Myrtle Beach. At the height of the storm’s wind gusts, the roof of one hotel peeled back and blew off.