The death toll in Florida remains uncertain in a context of vague information about the victims.
President Joe Biden, speaking at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, said Ian could end up being the deadliest in state history.
“The numbers are still unclear, however, we are hearing early reports pointing to substantial loss of life,” Biden said.
In hard-hit Charlotte County, a sheriff’s department spokesman confirmed multiple deaths but did not provide a hard toll. Sarasota County authorities were investigating two possible storm-related deaths, a sheriff’s spokesman said.
A 72-year-old man in Deltona, central Florida, died after going outside during the storm to drain his pool, authorities said.
More than 2.6 million homes and businesses in Florida remained without power. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Lee and Charlotte counties, home to more than 900,000 people, were “basically off the grid.”
South and North Carolina braced for impact as Ian – which had weakened to a tropical storm during its passage through Florida – returned to hurricane status at 5 pm ET (2100 GMT) with maximum sustained winds. 75 miles per hour (120 km per hour).
In South Carolina, Mercedes Benz, Boeing Co., and seaports that support manufacturers will suspend operations Friday.
The storm transformed Florida’s southwestern coast, dotted with sandy beaches, seaside towns and mobile home parks, into a disaster zone as Ian pushed seawater into shoreline homes.
LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS
By noon Thursday, residents in hard-hit areas like Venice, located in Sarasota County about 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of Tampa, were searching for family and friends as rescue teams worked to reach people. trapped in flooded houses.
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman told residents in a Twitter post that there were more than 500 calls for help.
Searching for loved ones became more difficult as cell phone services were often cut off.
“There are a lot of fallen trees, a lot of flooding everywhere. We are trying to get in touch with my daughter,” Terri Byrd said, as she tried to get a line on her cell phone in a Walmart parking lot after spending the night at a Venice elementary school.
Biden contacted DeSantis on Thursday and said his administration was committed to close coordination and that Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell will be in Florida on Friday. Biden said he will travel to the state when conditions allow.
(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Venice, Florida; additional reporting by Brendan O’Brien, Rich McKay, Dan Whitcomb, Sharon Bernstein, and Scott DiSavino; writing by Brendan O’Brien and Joseph Ax; Editing in Spanish by Ricardo Figueroa and Aida Peláez- Fernandez)
Source: Ambito
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