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.
Sanibel mayor pens emotional letter after Ian: ‘Our lives and our island have been forever changed’
The mayor of a Florida island that was ripped apart by Hurricane Ian has penned an emotional letter to residents, saying “Our lives and our island have been forever changed.”
Sanibel Island is cut off after the only bridge that connects it and Captiva to the mainland bore the brunt of the historic hurricane and had sections ripped out.
“I am struggling to find the words to convey my feelings, as I am sure most of us are as we look to the past four days. All our lives and our island have been forever changed. What we do tomorrow and the days and months ahead will redefine and strengthen our community,” wrote Mayor Holly Smith.
Read the full story by Ethan Freedman here:
Sanibel mayor pens emotional letter after island ripped apart by Hurricane Ian
A badly damaged bridge is the only road to access communities on Sanibel and Captiva islands
Timelapse video shows rapid flooding on Florida island as Hurricane Ian creates dangerous storm surge
A time-lapse video of an intersection on the island starts off with winds and heavy rain, but the road quickly gives way to surging waters that completely cover the median and rise halfway up a street sign.
Watch the video here:
Video shows rapid flooding on Florida island as Hurricane Ian brings storm surge
The area is expected to see up to 18 feet of storm surge
Hurricane Ian video of a ‘street shark’ swimming up floodwater is real
As Hurricane Ian ploughed through Florida, it brought a long-running hoax about marine life swimming in suburban floodwaters to life. A viral video of a shark swimming in the Fort Myers backyard has now been confirmed as original footage.
Read the full story by Namita Singh here:
Hurricane Ian video of ‘street shark’ swimming up floodwater is real
Experts are divided over the identity of acquatic animal, with some claiming it is a shark
Biden warns Hurricane Ian could be ‘deadliest in Florida history’
ICYMI: Hurricane Ian may be the worst storm that Florida has ever seen, President Joe Biden said at a Thursday briefing.
“This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history,” said Mr Biden, who addressed Federal Emergency Management Agency staff during a briefing at Fema headquarters.
The president said federal officials have been receiving “early reports” of what he said may be “substantial loss of life” in the storm’s wake, but he also said search and rescue operations had commenced before dawn in hopes of aiding people who are “stranded and who are in desperate shape” including water rescues by Coast Guard personnel.
Biden warns Hurricane Ian could be ‘deadliest in Florida history’
Mr Biden says he has spoken with Florida governor Ron DeSantis ‘four or five times already’
At a Florida trailer park, survivors speak of Ian's wrath
When Ian’s winds swept into this Gulf coast trailer park, they howled with such force that residents felt they would be lifted off the ground, even blown away.
Now many homes in this community in North Fort Myers are crumpled and splintered. Hurricane Ian pulled, twisted and bent their metal roofs and broke apart their wooden structures.
Read the full story here:
At a Florida trailer park, survivors speak of Ian's wrath
Ian’s fierce winds howled through a Gulf coast trailer park with such force that residents felt they would be lifted off the ground, even blown away
Hurricane Ian heads for Carolinas after pounding Florida
A revived Hurricane Ian is bearing down on South Carolina’s coast and the historic city of Charleston, with forecasters predicting a storm surge and floods.
Read the full story here:
Hurricane Ian heads for Carolinas after pounding Florida
A revived Hurricane Ian is bearing down on South Carolina’s coast and the historic city of Charleston, with forecasters predicting a storm surge and floods
Cubans suffer as hurricane-caused power outage goes on
The government has not said what percentage of the population remains without electricity, but electrical authorities said only 10 per cent of Havana’s population had power on Thursday.
Read the full story here:
Cubans suffer as hurricane-caused power outage goes on
Ivette Garrido hurried last week to get the 6 kilograms of subsidized chicken allotted to her family by Cuba’s government and put it in the freezer, happy to have meat to get through Hurricane Ian
Orlando International Airport to reopen today
Orlando International Airport will reopen today, two days after it was forced to close due to Hurricane Ian.
In a statement, officials said the airport would “resume flights beginning at noon Eastern time on Friday”.
The decision to reopen was made after a “thorough investigation of any property damage, and a careful consideration for the safety and security of the travelling public and airport employees”, the statement added.
Tampa and Jacksonville international airports are also reopening today.
Luxury McLaren P1 washed out of Florida garage and submerged in water after Hurricane Ian
ICYMI: A McLaren P1, worth an estimated $1million, was washed out of its owner’s garage and submerged beneath several feet of water as Hurricane Ian tore through a Florida neighbourhood.
The footage was posted on social media by the owner of the luxury car in Naples, Florida.
McLaren car worth over $1m washed out of garage and submerged by Hurricane Ian
‘Car went through the garage,’ the owner of the more than $1m McLaren P1 wrote while sharing a picture of it beneath feet of water
Charleston prepares for Ian’s landfall in South Carolina
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg is asking residents of South Carolina’s largest city to stay home and out of harm’s way as Hurricane Ian heads to the city.
The storm had restrengthened into a hurricane on Thursday afternoon and is forecast to make landfall in the state today.
Read the full story here:
Charleston residents asked to stay home as Hurricane Ian heads to city
The storm could bring up to seven feet of storm surge to the South Carolina coast
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