Residents and their pets airlifted to safety in dramatic Hurricane Ian rescues

People and their pets were rescued from floodwaters after Hurricane Ian brought widespread devastation to Florida this week.

The storm made landfall as a Category 4 on Wednesday, 28 September, one of the most powerful in the state’s history.

Footage from the US Coast Guard shows two pet owners being rescued with their cat and dog respectively.

Nearly 2 million people in Florida remain without power as of Friday.

At least one person has been confirmed to have died, according to officials who expect the death toll to increase following the storm.

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