Hurricane Ian weakened on its way through the US state of Florida. But that doesn’t change the lasting extreme destructiveness: a strip of land more than 100 kilometers wide is still exposed to the most violent storms with storm surges and wind speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour. Despite urgent warnings, some residents of the affected regions stayed at home – an extremely dangerous decision.
Television footage showed the rain pouring through the streets, only the roofs of cars sticking out of the water and debris flying through the air. “Ian” may make the list of the five deadliest hurricanes in Florida, Florida Gov said. Ron DeSantis. Residents were previously warned not to leave their homes on Thursday morning to, for example, assess the damage. Even if the hurricane pulls away, there is still a risk of debris, broken power lines and the like. Evacuation instructions were in effect for about 2.5 million people in the region.
Extent of destruction still unclear
According to the Poweroutage website, about 1.6 million households were without power. Authorities expected serious damage to infrastructure and communication lines. The extent of the devastation is unlikely to become apparent until dawn on Thursday.
The director of the National Hurricane Center, Ken Graham, stressed that after the hurricane arrives on land, it will probably take 24 hours for the hurricane to pass through Florida. That means 24 hours of heavy rain. Deanne Criswell of the US Disaster Management Agency FEMA said the region expected to be hit by the storm has not experienced a hurricane like this in about 100 years. Experts are also concerned that the region has been built closer to the water in recent decades.
Heavy destruction also in Cuba
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called “Ian” “another example of dramatic climate action that we are seeing around the world with increasing frequency and increasing devastation.” In Cuba, where “Ian” had already wreaked havoc, UN aid workers were already deployed to assess the situation and take the first necessary relief measures. “Of course, the UN stands ready to support other identified needs in the coming days.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
