The sheriff of Lee County, one of the hardest-hit counties of Florida, warned US media that the death toll may reach “the hundreds” and that he had received thousands of 911 calls.
Uncertainty surrounds the number of fatalities caused by Hurricane Ian in Florida, as the storm gains power and heads towards the Carolinas.
This is one of the strongest storms to ever hit the United States, and emergency services are attempting to reach Floridians who are stuck after Hurricane Ian ravaged the state.
More than 2.6 million power outages have been reported, and officials have issued a flood warning.
In certain regions, mobile phone service was severely disrupted, as was internet connectivity.
Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis refrained from confirming the number of fatalities, but stated, “We fully anticipate fatalities from this disaster.”
And President Joe Biden stated, “The numbers are still unknown, but first reports indicate that there may have been a severe loss of life.”
According to a report by NBC News, at least nine people have perished as a result of Hurricane Ian’s violent wrath in Florida; however, some organizations place the number higher.
According to the county’s sheriff’s department, two of the fatalities occurred in Sarasota. There was one confirmed fatality in Volusia County and six confirmed fatalities in Charlotte County.
The identities of the deceased have not been published, and the state of Florida has refused to comment on the fatalities.
It smashed us.
At least 12 deaths have been attributed to Hurricane Ian in Florida, according to NBC News.
A 72-year-old man died after he stepped outside to drain his pool during the storm.
The sheriff of Lee County, one of the hardest-hit districts, warned US media that the death toll might reach “the hundreds” and that he had received thousands of 911 calls.
“It shattered us,” says Sheriff Carmine Marceno. “We are still unable to reach the majority of those in need.”
It is feared that many in the hardest-hit areas were unable to call for assistance due to power outages and cell phone network disruptions.
It’s not yet ended – where will Ian go next?
Ian is currently back in the Atlantic Ocean but is anticipated to make landfall later today as a category one hurricane at 2 pm local time (7 pm UK time).
Forecasts indicate that it may bring life-threatening flooding, storm surge, severe gusts, and possibly landslides and tornadoes to North and South Carolina, as well as Georgia.
Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina is advising citizens to take precautions, stating, “This storm is still deadly.”
There is a hurricane warning for hundreds of miles of coastline.
In South Carolina, Charleston is particularly vulnerable. Local officials commissioned a survey indicating that 90% of all residential properties are susceptible to storm surge flooding.
Florida’s ‘record’ destruction
Mr. DeSantis referred to the destruction in Florida as “historic,” and disaster officials estimate that thousands may be permanently displaced.
Walt Disney World and other tourist sites in central Florida looked to have averted significant damage from Hurricane Ian, but many businesses on the state’s southwestern shore – also a popular tourist destination – were wrecked and face a lengthy rebuilding effort.
Mr. Biden has declared a major disaster, thereby unlocking government funding to provide temporary lodging for the displaced.
When it impacted Southwest Florida on Wednesday, Ian was a category four storm with gusts of up to 150 mph, making it the fifth-strongest hurricane to strike the United States.
In the aftermath of Ian, at least 700 confirmed rescues have occurred around the state, with first responders going house to the door.
Locals are warned to use chainsaws and ladders with caution, as emergency officials warn that the number of “indirect deaths” during the clean-up could exceed the number of deaths caused by the hurricane itself.
The majority of Florida schools are anticipated to reopen today or Monday, and flights from Orlando International Airport will resume in the coming hours.
Climate change will bring forth more storms like Ian.
According to preliminary findings from scientists who research extreme weather, climate change caused by humans boosted Hurricane Ian’s precipitation by 10%.
A warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor. Michael Wehner, a researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, stated, “Climate change did not create the storm, but it made it wetter.”
Kerry Emanuel, an atmospheric scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, remarked, “This extremely heavy rainfall is what we anticipated due to climate change.
“We’ll see more storms like Ian.”
