The death toll continues to rise in Florida after Hurricane Ian claimed at least 44 lives in the southern U.S. state and is expected to dissipate overnight Sunday. “There are now 44 deaths attributed to Hurricane Ian,” said the Florida Department of Forensics. Most by drowning and in their vast majority elderly people.
Devastation was the watchword in Florida on Thursday after Hurricane Ian left in its wake devastated cities and a potentially “substantial” death toll, and is now heading for the southeastern United States.
More than 900,000 homes and businesses were without power in Florida on Saturday night. In the peninsula, in addition to the heavy human toll, the property damage is “historic”, as the level reached by the rising water was unprecedented, according to Governor Ron DeSantis.
“This could be the deadliest hurricane in the history of Florida,” said U.S. President Joe Biden during a visit to the offices of the federal agency that fights natural disasters, Fema. “The figures (…) are not yet clear, but we are receiving initial reports of human losses that could be substantial,” he added, saying he wanted to go as soon as possible in the southern state, but also in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, an island recently hit by Hurricane Fiona.
During a press conference on Thursday evening, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he expected a number of deaths due to the hurricane. The elected official did not give a provisional figure, preferring to wait for the death toll to be confirmed “in the coming days”. “More than 700 confirmed rescues have taken place, and there will surely be many more as more data comes in,” the governor also said.
