Hurricane Ian barreling through Florida. It leaves a trail of destruction that has left scores of victims stranded in flood-prone homes, and 2.5 million without power.
As the floodwater rose dangerously high, helpless Floridians called the police and their family members to rescue them.
The storm surge inundated the Port Charlotte emergency room, flooding it with water. It also tore the roof off its fourth-floor hospital, causing streets to become rivers.
The ICU was flooded with water from the above, forcing staff and doctors to move the sickest patients, some on ventilators, to the other floors. Dr Birgit Bodine said that the doctor had been camping out to assist patients.
There was no power and poor coverage on cellphones, so many people couldn’t get help. Even though emergency workers cut down trees to reach flood victims, they weren’t able to make calls. Lee County Sheriff’s Office posted a message on Facebook early Thursday, stating that if the line is jammed, it’s worth keeping trying.
As a Category 4 hurricane, this powerful storm pounded ashore on Wednesday afternoon with devastating force. With sustained winds up to 150mph, it barreled homes in many areas with 18ft of water.
CoreLogic property specialists estimate that the cost to repair and reconstruct homes could reach $260 billion. The cleanup efforts won’t begin until the Florida coastline is fully submerged.
After nightfall, the hurricane that was the most powerful to hit the US had a significant decrease in strength. It was then downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm on Thursday morning, with sustained winds of 65mph.
The satellite is currently close to Melbourne, Florida’s East Coast. It is moving at 10mph towards the Atlantic and will eventually emerge near the Kennedy Space Center in the Atlantic later today.
However, the National Hurricane Center indicated that it was likely to recover near-hurricane strength following its exit from Atlantic waters. South Carolina will be in its sights for a second US Landfall.
As it moves inland, the slow-moving hurricane continues to bring torrential rains. It is believed that thousands of people are trapped in flood-prone homes.
According to the National Hurricane Center, severe, life-threatening storm surges of between 8 and 10 feet above sea level, as well as destructive waves are ongoing on the Southwest Florida coast, Englewood, Bonita Beach, Charlotte Harbor included.
Hurricane Ian is barreling across Florida. A devastating path of destruction has been left behind by scores of people trapped in their floodwaters and 2.5million without power.
Local TV footage and social media images showed flooding that nearly reached rooftops in certain communities. The water swept away cars as well as the wreckage of houses. Palm trees were almost cut in half by the floodwater. Pictured is an orange-colored house with a roof floating down in a Naples floodwater street.
Hurricane, which was one of the most powerful to hit America, gradually weakened after midnight and was downgraded into a tropical hurricane in the morning hours. The sustained winds were 65mph. The storm is now moving toward the Atlantic, near Melbourne, Florida on Florida’s east coast.
One of the streets that floods downtown after Hurricane Ian strikes southwestern Florida. It is located in Fort Myers.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, debris from storms litters streets in Sarasota (Florida), September 28, 2022
Fort Myers’ time-lapse video shows how the flooding water rushed into and flooded streets.
Florida’s beautiful southwestern coastline, lined with beaches and coastal communities, became a tsunami zone when it was inundated by the seawater.
The storm was captured on video and shared via social media. Floodwater almost reached the roofs of some areas, washing away vehicles and destroying homes.
People trapped inside flooded houses have called fire crews and police officers, while others post on social media asking for help. Others are pleading with loved ones for rescue after choosing to stay at home to weather the storm rather than following evacuation instructions.
According to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, rescue teams have not been able to reach them due to flooding and the force of winds.
Social media video shows water rushing to the floor below homes in debris-strewn footage. Residents rush to get to higher levels.
Brittany Hailer (a Pittsburgh journalist) contacted rescuers to inquire about her mother, North Fort Myers. Her home had been submerged by five feet of water.
“We do not know the time when the water will go down.” Hailer explained that we don’t know when they will leave. Their cars are destroyed. “She can only escape by getting on a boat.
The Texas Governor Greg Abbott, earlier this week sent four boats and 45 canines to Florida as part of an urban search-and rescue team.
Ian was a tropical hurricane over land early Thursday. However, it is expected that Ian will intensify once the center of the Atlantic Ocean moves above the Atlantic Ocean. The storm could threaten South Carolina’s coast Friday night at near-hurricane strength.
The center stated that the storm, which was located 40 miles southeast from Orlando and 35 miles southwest Cape Canaveral at 5 AM Thursday morning, had maximum sustained winds 65 mph. It was moving towards the cape at 8mph.
The hurricane center stated that tropical storm warnings have been lowered for the Florida Peninsula. However, widespread and catastrophic flooding is still possible. Both coasts were forecast to see storm surges of up to 6 feet (2m) on both sides.
“It doesn’t matter how strong the storm is. In an interview with The Associated Press, Robbie Berg, senior Hurricane Specialist with the National Hurricane Center said that they still expect quite a lot of rain.
Rainfall amounts of up to 1 foot are forecast in parts of Northeast Florida, South Carolina’s Lowcountry and Georgia. Southern Virginia could see 6 inches of rain as the storm moves inshore over the Carolinas. The center also said that landslides are possible in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
“This storm is doing some damage to Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. He asked President Joe Biden for approval of a federal disaster declaration that would provide a broad range of emergency assistance to all of Florida.
By Wednesday night, no deaths had been reported from Ian in the United States. However, a boat transporting Cuban migrants was swept away by stormy weather eastwards of Key West on Wednesday.
As Hurricane Ian hits southwestern Florida on Wednesday, a flooded street can be seen downtown in Fort Myers.
An overview of damage to docks caused by high waves, winds and rain at the Caloosahatchee River’s banks during Hurricane Ian.
One man takes a walk amongst the debris and fallen palm leaves in downtown Fort Myers as Hurricane Ian hits.
In the wake of Hurricane Ian, people play at the Malecon in Havana.
Officials said that the U.S. Coast Guard launched a rescue operation for 23 victims and found three survivors two miles from the Florida Keys.
According to the U.S. Border Patrol, four other Cubans reached Stock Island just east of Key West. The search continued for 20 possible migrants by air crews.
Two people were killed and the electrical grid in Cuba was ripped apart by the storm.
Cayo Costa was the location where Hurricane Ike made landfall, just west of Fort Myers. The water from Tampa Bay drained as it neared.
PowerOutage.us reports that more than 2.5million Florida households and businesses lost power. The majority of 12 county homes and businesses were left without electricity.
Punta Gorda (north of Fort Myers) was nearly in darkness when the storm knocked out all power except for a handful of buildings that had generators.
Just north of Fort Myers is Sheriff Bull Prummell from Charlotte County. He announced that a curfew would be in effect between 9 and 6 AM ‘for life-saving reasons’. Violators could face second-degree misdemeanor criminal charges.
Prummell stated, “I am enacting the curfew to protect the people and properties of Charlotte County.”
Weather Underground forecasted that the storm would move near Daytona Beach, and then into the Atlantic. It will return to South Carolina by Friday.
Governors from South Carolina and North Carolina declared emergencies. Georgia, Georgia and Virginia also preemptively declared them. Forecasters said Ian would turn towards those states in the form of a tropical storm and bring more floodwaters to these areas over the weekend.
Hurricane Ian passed through Naval Air Station Key West (NAS) overnight September 27, causing flooding and prompting the evacuation of Navy personnel as well their families.
As Hurricane Ian hits Southwest Florida on Wednesday, a flooded street can be seen downtown.
At 10:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday, wind gusts and horizontal showers still pelted Venice, Florida. This city is home to approximately 25,000 people, 32 miles north of the island barrier of Cayo Costa, where Ian landed seven hours ago.
While larger structures were mostly unaffected, smaller residential areas along Highway 41 which is a main artery in the region, were destroyed.
Power lines and dead trees covered roads to such an extent that asphalt wasn’t visible. Roofs of homes were removed and water began pouring in from every direction.
One large area of open land in front a Winn Dixie grocery became a lake. White-capped waters reached the trunks of many cars that were parked there. There were large areas without power and communications became difficult.
After destroying Cuba on Tuesday and leaving it without power for several hours, Ian moved into the southeast Gulf of Mexico, reaching its maximum wind speed of 155 mph just before landing in Florida on Wednesday.
DeSantis claimed that Ian has caused dangerous storm surges, which are waves of seawater driven in by wind and rushing along the coast. Some places have seen up to 12 foot. Forecasters predicted severe thunderstorms and possibly tornadoes.
Ken Graham, National Weather Service director, said, “This is a storm we will remember for many years, a historic event.”
Comparatively, Hurricane Michael arrived in Florida’s Panhandle with sustained winds of 155 mph in 2018, while Ida in Louisiana last year had sustained winds of 150-mph.
Even though Ian was crashing the coastline before it reached its shores, authorities told residents it was too late. More than 2.5 Million people had been urged to evacuate earlier in the week.
Many residents of mobile homes sought shelter in schools, churches and other buildings that were converted into emergency shelters. Several assisted-living centers in the area were also evacuated.