Hurricane Ian updates: Florida death toll climbs

Lee County, which encompasses Fort Myers, accounts for most of the fatalities.

ByJulia Jacobo, Teddy Grant, Kevin Shalvey, Emily Shapiro, Melissa Gaffney, Meredith Deliso, Jon Haworth, Nadine El-Bawab, and Stephanie Guerilus
Last Updated: October 4, 2022, 7:27 AM EDT

The remnants of Ian are charging up the East Coast on Saturday after making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in South Carolina on Friday afternoon.

The monster storm made its first U.S. landfall on Wednesday on Florida's west coast as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, shredding homes with ferocious winds topping 150 mph. Florida's death toll has climbed to at least 81, according to information from local officials.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.
Sep 28, 2022, 10:13 AM EDT

Hurricane-force winds approaching Florida coast

Hurricane-force winds are approaching the coast of Florida near Sanibel Island, which is 23 miles from Fort Myers.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell stressed Wednesday the danger of water as Hurricane Ian approaches.

She urged Floridians to never drive through floodwaters, noting a car can be carried away in just a few inches of water.

“From coastal storm surge to inland flooding, the majority of the state of Florida is in Ian’s crosshairs,” she said.

Sep 28, 2022, 9:09 AM EDT

18 feet of storm surge possible

Up to 18 feet of dangerous storm surge is forecast along Florida’s Southwest coast, including Englewood, Bonita Beach and Charlotte Harbor.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell warned Tuesday that her biggest concern with Ian was storm surge.

"In 2018, when Hurricane Michael impacted the Florida Panhandle, there were five recorded fatalities as a result of storm surge,” she noted.

Vehicles travel on the Sunshine Skyway over Tampa Bay, Fla., Sept. 28, 2022.
FDOT via AP

Sep 28, 2022, 8:32 AM EDT

Gov.: Treat storm like tornado approaching your home

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Wednesday morning that Ian could potentially make landfall as a Category 5 hurricane.

“This is a powerful storm that should be treated like you would treat a tornado approaching your home,” he said. “This one has just strengthened and strengthened, and it is the real deal. So, it is going to do a lot of damage, so people should be prepared for that.”

More than 200 shelters are open in South Florida, he said.

Twenty-six states, including New York and New Jersey, have sent support to Florida, he said.

A man walks away from the beach ahead of Hurricane Ian, in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 28, 2022.
Marco Bello/Reuters

-ABC News’ Mariama Jalloh

Sep 28, 2022, 7:41 AM EDT

Winds near Category 5 as storm approaches Florida

Hurricane Ian approached Category 5 status at about 6:30 a.m. ET, with its winds topping out at 155 mph.

Only four hurricanes have ever made landfall in the continental U.S. with winds over 155 mph: Labor Day in 1935 with 185 mph winds; Camille in 1969 with 175 mph winds; Andrew in 1992 with 165 mph; and Michael in 2018 with 160 mph.

Severe Category 5 hurricanes have winds above 157 mph.

“Rapidly intensifying Ian forecast to cause catastrophic storm surge, winds, and flooding in the Florida peninsula,” the National Hurricane Center said at 7 a.m. ET.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo and Samantha Wnek

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