Lee County, which encompasses Fort Myers, accounts for most of the fatalities.
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.
Naples, Florida, reached a new record-high storm surge of 4.8 feet Wednesday morning -- and the water continues to rise.
This beats the record of 4.25 feet reached during Hurricane Irma in 2017.
Ken Graham, director of NOAA's National Weather Service, warned Wednesday, “This is going to be a storm we talk about for many years to come -- historic event."
Hurricane Ian’s eyewall is moving on shore.
The powerful Category 4 storm is set to bring catastrophic storm surge, winds and flooding.
Sanibel Island has reported sustained winds of 58 mph with a wind gust reaching 75 mph.
The airports in Orlando, Miami, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale are leading the world in flight cancellations Wednesday morning.
Over 2,000 flights have been canceled within, into, or out of the United States on Wednesday.
Another 1,600 flights are already cancelled for Thursday.
The Tampa International Airport will remain closed through Thursday.
-ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway and Sam Sweeney
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.
