Floodwaters higher than 6 feet. Chunks of bridges crumbling into the water. 15,000+ people sheltering in place, and millions without power. Ian touched down in Florida yesterday with 150 mph winds – one of the worst storms to ever hit the state.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — President Joe Biden on Thursday said there are early reports that Tropical Storm Ian caused substantial loss of life in Florida, as state and federal officials continued to help thousands of people affected by the catastrophic storm.
The deadliest hurricane in Florida history was the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, which killed more than 2,500 in the state. “Lee and Charlotte [counties] are basically off the grid at this point,” DeSantis said Thursday. The storm made landfall near Fort Myers, Fla., which is in Lee County. There are some 28 Chinook helicopters performing rescue missions in the hardest-hit areas. The state also deployed 100 engineers to survey damage to bridges, including the Sanibel Causeway and Pine Island Bascule Bridge, which are not currently passable, DeSantis said.
Biden will send FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to Florida on Friday to “check in” on the response and gauge where Florida needs more support. “The President and Governor committed to continued close coordination,” White House officials said in a readout of the call. Criswell said Thursday that “we have some reports on fatalities” in Lee County, including from the local sheriff, and that “they expect the number to go up.” Criswell added she hadn’t heard of many fatalities in other parts of Florida throughout the night, “but I think as soon as daylight comes and the first responders continue to get out there, we’re going to continue to get more information.”
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