After the devastating hurricane “Ian”, the number of victims increases, especially in the US state of Florida. About 80 deaths have been reported so far, according to local authorities. At least 42 people were killed in Lee County alone, where “Ian” hit land with winds of up to 150 miles per hour, Sheriff Carmine Marceno said Sunday.
Even long after the hurricane was over, some places in Florida were hit by flooding because the ground could no longer absorb water. Hundreds of thousands of households were without power.
Cyclone lost its strength over the weekend
The hurricane largely lost strength over the weekend. Foothills caused rain on the east coast of the US as far as New York. Before weakening, “Ian” hit the South Carolina coast on Friday as a level one in five hurricane, bringing with it storm surges.
Destroyed pier
The TV footage showed completely flooded streets and a partially destroyed pier. The state has been spared death, said Governor Henry McMaster. Power went out for more than 500,000 homes in South and North Carolina and Virginia, in part because falling trees cut the pipes. In North Carolina, even with weak winds, “Ian” still took four lives, according to Governor Roy Cooper.
Biden travels to Florida
US President Joe Biden will fly to Florida and Puerto Rico in the coming days to get an idea of the hurricane damage. The White House announced that Biden would travel first to Puerto Rico on Monday, which was hit by Hurricane Fiona. Two weeks after the storm, some households are still without power. About 90 percent of the outages have been fixed, Criswell said. After Florida, Biden wants to follow on Wednesday. The White House had announced it would support those affected without flood insurance with up to $40,000.
“Ian” followed the devastation
“Ian” made landfall in Florida on Wednesday as a level four of five hurricane. It left devastation and flooding in the southern state. The authorities emphasized that reconstruction will take months and sometimes even years. On Sunday, water levels in some central Florida cities continued to rise, as FEMA civil defense chief Deanne Criswell said on US television.
Given the high death toll in Lee County, questions have been raised as to whether the evacuation order was issued too late. Sheriff Carmine defended the approach on Sunday: The hurricane had changed its route and had only become clear the day before that it would hit Fort Myers instead of Tampa.
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.
