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u.s. news Diabierna 30 September 2022
Floods trap many in Florida as Ian heads to South Carolina

(AP) — Rescue crews pi-
loted boats and waded
through flooded streets
Thursday to save thou-
sands of Floridians
trapped after Hurricane
Ian destroyed homes and
businesses and left mil-
lions in the dark.

The destruction began to
come into focus a day after
Ian made landfall in Florida
as one of the strongest hur-
ricanes ever to hit the U.S.
The storm flooded homes on
both of the state’s coasts, cut
off the only bridge to a barri-
er island, destroyed a historic
waterfront pier and knocked
out electricity to 2.67 mil-
lion Florida homes and busi-
nesses — nearly a quarter of
utility customers. At least one
man was confirmed dead.

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.

Though downgraded to a
tropical storm by Thursday
morning, the National Hur-
ricane Center said storm
surge and flooding rains re-
mained a threat as Ian crept
across the Florida peninsula
and emerged in the Atlantic
Ocean north of Cape Canav- on Twitter showed one fire- “Right now, there is no pier,”
eral. Forecasters predicted Ian fighter carrying someone in said Penny Taylor, a Collier
would regain some strength his arms through knee-deep County commissioner.
while turning northward. water. At an area nursing
home, patients were carried In Port Charlotte, a hospital’s
A hurricane warning was is- on stretchers across floodwa- emergency room flooded
sued for the South Carolina ters to a waiting bus. and fierce winds ripped away
coast, where the storm was part of the roof, sending wa-
expected to again make land- Authorities confirmed at ter gushing into the inten-
fall, having already hit Cuba least one Florida death — a sive care unit. The sickest
and Florida. 72-year-old man in Deltona patients — some on ventila-
who fell into a canal while tors — were crowded into
Sheriffs in southwest Flor- using a hose to drain his pool the middle two floors as the
ida said 911 centers were in the heavy rain, the Volusia staff prepared for storm vic- gest hurricane ever to hit the of Charleston, South Caroli-
inundated by thousands of County Sheriff’s Office said. tims to arrive, said Dr. Birgit U.S. na. Rainfall of up to 8 inches
stranded callers, some with Bodine of HCA Florida Faw- (20.32 centimeters) threat-
life-threatening emergen- Emergency crews sawed cett Hospital. Even after weakening, Ian’s ened flooding in the Caroli-
cies. The U.S. Coast Guard through toppled trees to tropical storm-force winds nas and Virginia.
began rescue efforts hours reach stranded people. Many The Florida Highway Patrol still reached 415 miles (667
before daybreak on barrier is- in the hardest-hit areas were shut down the Florida Turn- kilometers) from its center. The U.S. Coast Guard initi-
lands near where Ian struck, unable to call for help be- pike in the Orlando area and Forecasters predicted the At- ated a search and rescue mis-
DeSantis said. More than cause of electrical and cellu- said the main artery in the lantic waters would strength- sion for 23 people after a boat
800 members of federal ur- lar outages. middle of the state will re- en it to a Category 1 hurri- carrying Cuban migrants
ban search-and-rescue teams main closed until water sub- cane before it makes landfall sank Wednesday in stormy
were also in the area. South of Sanibel Island, the sides. Friday in South Carolina. weather east of Key West. It
historic beachfront pier in found three survivors, and
In the Orlando area, Orange Naples was destroyed, with Ian struck Florida as a mon- The National Hurricane four others swam to shore,
County firefighters used even the pilings underneath strous Category 4 storm, with Center warned storm surge the U.S. Border Patrol said.
boats to reach people in a torn out, as towering waves 150 mph (241 kph) winds of 6 feet (1.83 meters) or Air crews continued to search
flooded neighborhood. A crashed over the structure. that tied it for the fifth-stron- more was possible from Day- for possibly 20 remaining mi-
photo the department posted tona Beach, Florida, to north grants.