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, 10:46 PM EDT

Ian continues to gradually weaken, winds at 100 mph

Hurricane Ian continues to gradually weaken as of 10 p.m. ET, with maximum sustained winds now down to 100 mph. The storm is moving to the north-northeast at 8 mph, and its center is currently about 80 miles south of Orlando.

Hurricane Ian is shown as a Category 2 storm in a satellite weather graphic released at 10pm, Sept. 28, 2022.
ABC News

The Florida Peninsula continues to experience dangerous weather impacts, including strong wind gusts, torrential rain and persistent storm surge in some areas.

Areas of relentless heavy rain will continue to bring the threat of dangerous flash flooding in some areas. This threat becomes even more dangerous during overnight hours.

-ABC News' Dan Peck

Sep 28, 2022, 10:33 PM EDT

At least 30 rescues in Naples Wednesday

There were at least 30 rescues in Naples, Florida, on Wednesday amid ongoing rescue operations, the Collier County Sheriff's Office said.

"Our East Naples deputies did 30 rescue missions today. We are still collecting numbers from other areas. We are still rescuing people," the office wrote on Facebook.

"Water is everywhere. It will recede. There will be damage," it added. "Tomorrow we will have a better idea of the extent of damage. We will keep you updated."

Sep 28, 2022, 10:26 PM EDT

More than 2 million customers without power in Florida

The number of customers without power in Florida has topped 2 million, as Hurricane Ian continues making its way across the state.

People walk in a hallway using a flashlight during a power outage as Hurricane Ian makes landfall in southwestern Florida, in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 28, 2022.
Marco Bello/Reuters

Most of the outages are in the southern Gulf side of the state, primarily in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota counties.

The outages are moving east as the storm moves across the state.

-ABC News' Darren Reynolds

Sep 28, 2022, 9:28 PM EDT

Jacksonville mayor announces closure of 3 major beaches

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced Wednesday evening that the city is closing Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville beaches ahead of Hurricane Ian’s impact on the area.

“We will reopen as soon as it’s safe for citizens,” Curry tweeted.

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