Hurricane Ian: Revived storm pounds South Carolina as death toll rises to 27
Flooding continued in central Florida as storm barrelled through state before gathering strength
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Your support makes all the difference.A revived Hurricane Ian battered South Carolina, bringing heavy rains and flooded streets as the death toll in the US from one of its costliest storms climbed to 27.
The storm barrelled through western Cuba and raked across Florida before gathering strength in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean to curve back and strike South Carolina.
While the storm was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone earlier on Friday, the agency warned river flooding will continue through next week across central Florida. Meanwhile, president Joe Biden has issued an emergency declaration for South Carolina.
The storm hit Florida as one of the most powerful hurricanes in the state’s history, with wind speeds nearly reaching Category 5.
Nearly 2 million people in Florida were left without power – and economic losses could amount to $120bn, according to an estimate.
McMaster: Stay Inside
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said that conditions were “very dangerous” and asked people to stay inside and off the road as much as they could at a press conference on Friday.
About six to 12 inches of water have flooded parts of Charleston, he added, while other surges are flooding parts of the coast.
No deaths have so far been reported.
More than 80,000 customers without power
More than 80,000 customers in South Carolina are without power, according to poweroutage.us
A South Carolina official said at a press conference early Friday afternoon that she expects that number to rise, however, so encouraged residents who do have power now to charge their devices to be prepared for a potential blackout.
More than a hundred people in shelters
South Carolina officials noted 119 people in shelters across the state as Hurricane Ian moves in toward the state.
Total shelter capacity is about 750 people.
Charleston County suspends first responder activity due to wind
Winds are now too fast for emergency responders in Charleston County to work, the county said early Friday afternoon.
When wind speeds get too high, officials will often pause EMT response to keep workers safe.
First responders will restart operations as soon as it is safe, the county said.
Devastation remains in Fort Myers
Photos from Fort Myers, Florida, just south of where Hurricane Ian made landfall on Wednesday, show people returning to an unrecognizable city.
Residents took stock of destroyed home and damage to city infrastructure as they returned on Thursday and Friday.
Hurricane’s weakening and re-strengthening
Satellite data shows Hurricane Ian tearing across Florida, weakening into a tropical storm, and then restrengthening into a Category 1 hurricane as it heads to South Carolina.
The storm is forecast to make landfall again on Friday afternoon.
More than 140,000 people now without power in South Carolina
More than 143,000 people are now without power in South Carolina as Hurricane Ian bears down on land, according to poweroutage.us
Outages are concentrated in coastal and northeastern counties, expected to face the worst impacts from the storm.
In Georgetown and Charleston counties on the coast, more than 25 per cent of customers were without power as of early Friday afternoon.
Biden: Please listen to warnings
President Joe Biden asked residents of South Carolina to heed warnings and guidance from local officials as Hurricane Ian bears down on the state.
The president also voiced sympathy for people in Florida who have been affected at a press conference on Friday afternoon.
He said that federal first responders have so far rescued more than 100 people in southwest Florida.
Hurricane Ian makes landfall in South Carolina
Hurricane Ian has made landfall near Georgetown, South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane.
The storm’s centre hit land at 2:05 PM local time with wind speeds up to 85 miles per hour (140 kilometres per hour), according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm is expected to bring widespread flooding to the state as heavy rain and storm surge up to seven feet (2.1 metres) hit on Friday.
The remains of the storm are forecast to reach western Virginia by Saturday before dissipating.
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More than 215,000 customers without power in South Carolina
According to poweroutage.us 2125, 787 customers in South Carolina were without power as of 4.25pm ET.
“Crews will be working around the clock to get the lights back on as quickly and safely as possible,” Dominion Energy said in a tweet on Friday blaming downed trees for a lot of the issues.
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