After devastating Florida, Hurricane Ian is headed for Carolinas, Georgia
A grim picture of Hurricane Ian’s horrific wreckage emerged Thursday, as millions of people in Florida faced destroyed homes, completely flooded streets and power outages.
The storm’s power turned out to be worse than many had predicted.
Unfortunately, families who did not evacuate have been left stranded as rising water tore through their homes.
So far, hundreds have been rescued from floodwaters, and emergency crews are still struggling to reach some of the most devastated areas.
According to the National Hurricane Center, a storm surge of 12-18 feet hit as destructive waves struck the coast.
Officials say the hurricane knocked out power to more than 2.6 million customers, mainly in southwest and central Florida.
Meanwhile, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) says that the next 72 hours will certainly be the most critical when it comes to rescue missions.
President Biden said there were ‘early reports of what may be substantial loss of life’ saying, that the numbers are still unclear but there are early reports of fatalities.
The President added, “water rescue is critical—Coast Guard deployed 16 rescue helicopter, six fixed wing aircraft and 18-rescue boats and crews. That’s just one element of the many federal search and rescue teams that were pre-staged in Florida.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis detailed the state’s “monumental effort” to help aid recovery and eventually rebuild.
“Those were really difficult images to see but we’re committed to restoring the infrastructure as needed. That is not going to be an overnight task. That is going to require a lot of love and care—it’s going to require a lot of resources, but we’re going to do it because we understand how important it is.”