What was it like during Hurricane Matthew for those who didn’t evacuate?

When Hurricane Matthew swept across Beaufort County in the early morning hours of Oct. 8, 2016, neighborhoods flooded, trees were downed and thousands of homes were damaged. The destruction changed the face of Hilton Head.

Many residents had evacuated, but some who did not heed the governor’s orders to leave were in for a harrowing night.

Click or tap below to read an hour-by-hour retelling of what it was like to experience the storm’s wrath first-hand.

‘Something to behold’: How Hurricane Matthew holdouts faced the storm of their lives