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: September 28, 2022, 8:49 PM 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, 1:03 PM EDT

Extreme wind warning issued

An extreme wind warning has been issued near Fort Myers as Hurricane Ian nears.

Naples has reported a wind gust of 112 mph.

Fort Myers resident Debbie Levenson and her husband chose not to evacuate for Hurricane Ian and are staying put at home.

“Hurricanes are a concern, but I don't freak out about it. You do what you have to do. You get your supplies, make sure you have flashlights, do your laundry ahead of time in case you lose power,” she told ABC News. “We bought bottled water and wine. We put gas in the car. The store shelves were not empty.”

"We are concerned with local flooding, but we drained the pool and are keeping an eye on the roads,” she continued. “Most of the neighborhood has stayed. Neighbors only left if they had small children or had a medical reason.”

Conditions continue to deteriorate in Marco Island as Hurricane Ian approaches, as seen in an image taken from video shared on June 28, 2022 via Twitter.
@SchilkeScott/Twitter

Ken Graham, director of NOAA's National Weather Service, warned people sheltering in place to not venture out once the storm passes over.

“Don’t go out there. It’s so dangerous to be out there. So even if you see the water receding, it’s not the time to go out,” he said.

-ABC News' Morgan Korn and Max Golembo

Sep 28, 2022, 12:03 PM EDT

Ian nears record-breaking winds

Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 with 155 mph winds, is nearing record-breaking wind levels.

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.

Hurricane Ian
ABC News Photo Illustration

Sep 28, 2022, 11:53 AM EDT

Naples sees record storm surge

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."

An airplane overturned by a likely tornado produced by the outer bands of Hurricane Ian is shown Sept. 28, 2022.
Wilfredo Lee/AP

Sep 28, 2022, 11:13 AM EDT

Ian’s eyewall moving on shore

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.

Sarasota County Sheriff Deputies block the access to a downtown bridge over to the barrier islands as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida's Gulf Coast in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 28, 2022.
Steve Nesius/Reuters

PHOTO: A U.S. postal service mailbox is dry wrapped as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida's Gulf Coast in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 28, 2022.
A U.S. postal service mailbox is dry wrapped as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida's Gulf Coast in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 28, 2022.
Steve Nesius/Reuters

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