Ian has regained hurricane strength as it spun toward South Carolina a day after devastating a cross section of Florida. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm’s maximum sustained winds increased Thursday to 75 mph.
It was centered about 240 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina, and moving northeast at 10 mph. Ian made landfall Wednesday on Florida’s west coast as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds.
Forecasters said coastal waters were subsiding along Florida’s west coast, but warned of life-threatening storm surge through Friday along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Live Hurricane Ian radar imagery:
–The Associated Press contributed.
Biden approves emergency declaration as Ian bears down on South Carolina
President Biden late Thursday approved an emergency declaration for South Carolina, as Ian barreled toward the state with increasing strength.
Ian, which was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm after tearing through Florida on Wednesday, was upgraded to a hurricane once again Thursday evening.
It is expected to make landfall in South Carolina on Friday afternoon, with life-threatening storm surges along the Carolina coast and flooding rains up to southern Virginia, according to the National Hurricane Center. After landfall in South Carolina, Ian is expected to quickly weaken as it travels inland and into North Carolina.
Biden’s emergency declaration allows for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate disaster relief in the state.
—Julia Shapero
Rescue crews on boats search for people stranded in flooded homes in Florida as Ian barrels toward South Carolina
Thousands of Floridians were rescued by crews on boats after being trapped in their flooded homes and among wrecked buildings amid Hurricane Ian’s aftermath.
Ian strengthened back to a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic Ocean before pummeling Florida Thursday, and is now predicted to strike South Carolina by Friday as a Category 1 storm.
The storm is likely to cause gusting winds and heavy rain hours before it actually arrives to South Carolina, and along the state’s coast, four to seven feet of storm surge is expected.
If Ian does strike South Carolina as a hurricane, it will be the first hurricane to hit the state since Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
—Maureen Breslin
DeSantis says he expects deaths from Hurricane Ian
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday evening declined to provide a death count from Hurricane Ian but said he expects the count to ultimately climb.
“We absolutely expect to have mortality from this hurricane,” DeSantis said, adding that officials have completed more than 700 rescues.
But the Florida governor cautioned the public to not speculate about the number of deaths after a local official made a large projection earlier in the day.
About 2.6 million Floridians do not have power, and officials have so far restored 200,000 accounts, DeSantis said.
—Zach Schonfeld
Florida hospitals without running water, begin evacuating patients
Hospitals in Florida were forced to evacuate patients Thursday due to a lack of running water and 98 percent of the county being without power.
Lee Health President and CEO Larry Antonucci announced that three out of four hospitals in the area were forced to evacuate.
While he said the structure of the facilities held up against the storm, it has caused complications in water and power.
“We’ve been faced with an unprecedented challenge with this hurricane. It has caused devastation throughout our community and is putting an incredible strain on our health system,” Antonucci said in a Facebook video of the announcement.
The emergency departments at the hospitals will remain open, though patients who come through will need to be transferred to other facilities.
Ian surges back to hurricane status
After being downgraded to a tropical storm early Thursday, Ian has surged again to hurricane status as it heads north from Florida toward Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The latest update forecasts Hurricane Ian heading to the more northern states with life-threatening flooding, storm surge and strong winds.
Ian made landfall in the southwest coast of Florida early Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane, but was downgraded early Thursday as it moved away from Florida’s Gulf Coast and pushed into northeastern parts of the state.
—Julia Mueller
Twelve percent of Florida’s gas stations out of fuel
About 12.4 percent of Florida’s gas stations are without fuel, according to Patrick De Haan, an analyst at GasBuddy.
In the Tampa area, about a third of all gas stations are without fuel, and in the Fort Myers and Naples area, 22 percent of stations are without gas.
In Gainesville, 18.7 percent of gas stations are without fuel, and in Orlando, 14.2 percent are empty.
Hurricane Ian has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it moves off the Florida east coast. The storm is expected to make landfall in South Carolina over the weekend.
De Haan said gas stations in the Carolinas “have a limited ability to prepare for disruptions.”
“Their tank size is finite, and resources are limited to prepare for a surge in demand,” he said.
— Brad Dress
Florida residents crowdsource help online to find loved ones
Floridians are crowdsourcing help online as they seek to find their loved ones in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
On CrowdsourceRescue.org, concerned Floridians in and around Fort Myers have created dozens of tickets asking for help to track down, locate or get in touch with a friend or family member they have not heard from.
In many of the tickets, people are describing the contact’s age, name and residence, explaining they have not heard from the person for sometimes a day or longer. At least one person had not heard from their mother and father in more than 24 hours.
— Brad Dress
DeSantis tells residents who evacuated to ‘not rush’ home
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) warned residents who evacuated due to the hurricane not to go back to their homes yet due to the debris left behind by Hurricane Ian.
“As hurricane Ian passes, do not rush to come home—we have crews working to clear the roads and restore power. Avoid downed power lines, flood water, downed trees, and do not drive in standing water,” DeSantis tweeted Thursday.
He told Floridians to stay up to date with announcements from Florida’s Division of Emergency Management to know when it is safe to return to their communities.
Floods trap many in Florida as Ian heads to South Carolina
Image: U.S. Coast Guard.
Aerial photos from the Fort Myers area, a few miles west of where Ian struck land, showed homes ripped from their slabs and deposited in a jumble among shredded wreckage. Businesses near the beach were completely razed, leaving just twisted debris. Broken docks floated at odd angles beside damaged boats, and fires smoldered on lots where houses once stood.
National Guard sending thousands to assist with Hurricane Ian
The National Guard announced Thursday more than 5,000 National Guardsmen from multiple states will be heading to Florida to help damage and recovery efforts.
Guardsmen from Florida, Louisiana, New York, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, Montana and Virginia are heading to Florida to help, according to Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.
“We’re hurt by the significant devastation we’re seeing and the impact on the lives of Florida citizens,” Hokanson said. “In the immediate aftermath, search and rescue will be the focus. Our concern is saving lives and getting our folks in there as quickly as possible to make a difference in that critical time to get people out of situations that may be potentially life-threatening to them.”
“Because we’re in every community, we’re part of the first responders to assist in recovery immediately,” he said.
Biden: Hurricane Ian ‘could be the deadliest’ in Florida’s history
President Biden on Thursday warned Hurricane Ian could prove to be the deadliest storm in Florida’s history as it punished swaths of the state with flooding rains and damaging winds.
“This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history. The numbers are still unclear, but we’re hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life,” Biden said during a visit to FEMA headquarters for a briefing on the hurricane response.
“We’re continuing to see deadly rainfall, catastrophic storm surges, roads and homes flooded,” Biden added. “We’re seeing millions of people without power and thousands hunkered down in schools and community centers.”
— Brett Samuels
Biden talks to Lee County commissioner
President Biden spoke to Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass to discuss ways the administration can support the county following Hurricane Ian.
The call, which included Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell, addressed meeting immediate needs for search and rescue efforts, power restoration and help to address challenges faced by local hospitals and problems presented by damage to roads and bridges.
Biden reassured the Commissioner that the White House would provide all the resources at its disposal.
South Carolina coast now under hurricane warning
The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for South Carolina, with “hurricane-force winds” expected to start early Friday.
The advisory says there could be a “life-threatening storm surge” in parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, along with “local significant flooding” that could happen in Georgia and South Carolina near the end of the week.
A hurricane watch is also in effect in northeastern Florida and Georgia.
Former FEMA director warns of lives lost after storm has passed
Former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Craig Fugate warned of the death toll from Hurricane Ian on CNN’s “New Day.”
He said one of the biggest threats to human life is people thinking it is safe to go out after the storm has passed, warning of chemicals, down trees and power lines, and animals that could be in the water.
“If you are somewhere safe, stay inside,” Fugate said.
“In Florida, we have seen as many people lose their lives after a storm has passed as we do from the storms,” he added.
Orange County firefighters help people stranded by Hurricane Ian early Thursday in Orange County, Fla.
(Orange County Fire Rescue’s Public Information Office via AP)
A firefighter carries a person while helping people stranded by Ian Thursday in Orange County, Fla.
(Orange County Fire Rescue’s Public Information Office via AP)
Authorities transport a person out of the Avante nursing home in the aftermath of Ian.
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
Authorities transport another person out of the nursing home in the aftermath of the hurricane.
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
Doctor says roof of ICU ripped off during Hurricane Ian
A Florida doctor said in an interview that the roof of his hospital blew off due to Hurricane Ian.
Dr. Birgit Bodine, an internal medicine specialist from a hospital in Port Charlotte, told The Associated Press the roof blew off the fourth floor, meaning all the patients and staff had to move to the bottom two floors of the facility.
Some of the sickest patients had to be transported to the bottom floors with crowding occurring at the hospital due to the incident.
Staff have used towels and plastic bins to contend with the mess as they had to wait for help due to the weather, Bodine said.
“The ambulances may be coming soon and we don’t know where to put them in the hospital at this point,” Bodine said. “Because we’re doubled and tripled up.”
DeSantis says Ian was ‘basically a 500-year flood event’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said the amount of water rising in parts of Florida from Hurricane Ian is “basically a 500-year flood event.”
The governor said “massive amounts” of food and water are in the area to be distributed, and 28 large helicopters from the National Guard and Coast Guard are conducting rescue operations. Additional air assets will be added throughout the day to support the operations.
DeSantis said the next 72 hours will be key for rescue missions. He said rescue efforts will focus on the areas with the most inland flooding.
“You’re looking at a storm that changed the character of our state,” he said.
— Jared Gans
Florida Power & Light system ‘will need to be rebuilt’ in aftermath of Hurricane Ian
As millions are without power, Florida Power & Light shared an update with residents that the energy company will need to rebuild its system to turn the lights back on after Ian.
“Hurricane Ian’s catastrophic winds will mean parts of our system will need to be rebuilt – not restored. Be prepared for widespread, extended outages as we are assessing the damage. We are already at work restoring power where we can do so safely,” Florida Power & Light said in a statement.
Biden and DeSantis talk hurricane response in Thursday call
President Biden spoke Thursday morning with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) as Hurricane Ian passed through the state, leaving millions of people without power.
Thursday’s call was the second of the week between Biden and DeSantis, political rivals who have taken a break from trading barbs to collaborate on the storm response.
“The President told the Governor he is sending his FEMA Administrator to Florida tomorrow to check in on response efforts and see where additional support is needed. The President and Governor committed to continued close coordination,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
— Brett Samuels
Jacksonville Airport cancels all Thursday flights, closes airport terminal
Jacksonville International Airport announced on Twitter late Wednesday that all Thursday flights would be canceled and that the airport terminal would be closed due to impacts from tropical storm Ian.
The airport said in a follow-up tweet Thursday that it would reopen “as the airfield and terminal are deemed safe for safe for flight ops.”
The news comes as thousands of flights in and out of Florida have been interrupted this week as a result of the storm. Orlando International Airport ceased all commercial operations Wednesday, noting that flights are expected to resume sometime Friday depending on damage assessment at the airport.
Although Ian was downgraded from a Category 4 hurricane to a tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center said Thursday that the storm has brought “life-threatening catastrophic flooding” since making landfall in the state.
— Natalie Prieb
What does a storm surge look like? Check out this timelapse from Hurricane Ian
A timelapse showed a storm surge hit Sanibel, Florida, on Wednesday as Hurricane Ian came ashore.
A traffic camera captured the video of high winds and floodwaters completely submerging an intersection on the island. The timelapse shows Periwinkle Way and Casa Ybel Road in Sanibel. Twitter user @BirdingPeepWx said the camera recorded conditions deteriorating over a period of 30 minutes, from noon to 12:30 p.m.
— Nexstar Media Wire
Part of Sanibel Causeway found collapsed in aftermath of Hurricane Ian
The Sanibel Causeway, which connects a barrier island to the rest of Florida, has one part destroyed due to Hurricane Ian.
The partially collapsed road makes it impossible for anyone on the island with more than 6,000 people to leave by car.
The destruction to the causeway was first found by Tampa Bay Times reporters.
— Lexi Lonas
FEMA chief: Floridians have experienced ‘absolutely catastrophic impacts’ from Ian
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell on Thursday said that residents of Florida are experiencing “absolutely catastrophic impacts” from Hurricane Ian.
“My heart is just breaking for the people in these communities right now, because they have experienced absolutely catastrophic impacts from this,” Criswell said in an appearance on CNN’s “New Day.”
“There’s parts of this community that have just been devastated.”
Criswell said that the hurricane has caused the most damage to Lee County, an area of southwest Florida below Tampa.
— Chloe Folmar
Florida sheriff details Ian’s devastation: ‘It hit us, and it crushed us’
The sheriff of a Florida county that was in the direct path of Hurricane Ian called the storm is a “life-changing” event.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America” on Thursday that the storm came into the county strong and slow-moving, at just a few miles per hour.
“It hit us, and it crushed us,” Marceno said. “We’re assessing as we speak.”
He said thousands of people are waiting to be rescued, but he cannot make a more specific assessment of the number of deaths until officials are able to have full access to each scene.
— Jared Gans
Hurricane Ian photos show destruction, storm surge
A damaged sign sits on the side of state road I-275 as Hurricane Ian approaches on September 28, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)
A man walks his dog through the rough surf on Cocoa Beach on September 28, 2022, as the eastern coast of central Florida braces for Hurricane Ian. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Just before the Sanibel Causeway, a spiral staircase was deposited in the brush next to a white pickup as Hurricane Ian passed the area Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 in Sanibel, Fla.(Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Millions without power, people trapped as weakened Ian crosses Florida
Millions of people in Florida have lost power and some are trapped in flooded buildings due to now-Tropical Storm Ian, which hit the state on Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane and is making its way north to Georgia and South Carolina.
The massive storm has knocked out power for 2.5 million Floridians as of Thursday morning while others remain stuck in flooded homes.
Police in Fort Myers are being dispatched to conduct hazard assessments in Ian’s wake after receiving calls from people stranded by flooding, historically the most likely cause of deaths from a hurricane.
— Chloe Folmar
Biden approves Florida disaster declaration
President Biden on Thursday approved a disaster declaration for Florida after now-Tropical Storm Ian hit the state as a Category 4 hurricane.
Under the declaration, federal funding is available to affected residents of Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House said.
Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and nonprofits in multiple counties.
— Natalie Prieb
National Hurricane Center warns of widespread, ‘life-threatening catastrophic flooding’ across central Florida
The National Hurricane Center in an early Thursday morning update warned of widespread, “life-threatening catastrophic flooding” across portions of central Florida after Hurricane Ian made landfall in the state on Wednesday.
Considerable flooding is expected in northern Florida, southeastern Georgia and eastern South Carolina through the end of the week.
Forecasters said coastal waters are subsiding along Florida’s west coast, but warned of life-threatening storm surge through Friday along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
The center said tropical-storm-force-winds are expected to spread across northeastern Florida, Georgia and the Carolina coasts, adding that hurricane conditions are possible along the coasts of northeastern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina through Friday.
Hurricane Ian downgraded to category 1 storm
The National Hurricane Center in its 11 p.m. update on Wednesday night said Hurricane Ian’s maximum sustained winds had decreased to near 90 mph, qualifying it as a category 1 storm.
“Further weakening is expected for the next day or so, but Ian could be near hurricane strength when it moves over the Florida East coast tomorrow, and when it approaches the northeastern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coasts on Friday,” a statement from the center reads.
More than 2 million without power in Florida as Hurricane Ian continues to strike
The number of Floridians without power has surpassed 2 million as Hurricane Ian continues to batter the state, according to poweroutage.us.
More than thirteen counties have been affected by serious outages, with most of the damage clustered on Florida’s southwestern coast.
The tracker shows the power is out for over 440,000 Floridians in Lee County, which declared a state of emergency and issued a mandatory evacuation order Tuesday — or about 94 percent of the area.
The coastal counties of Sarasota and Charlotte were also heavily affected, with outages impacting about 89 and 98 percent of each county, respectively.