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.
Oct 01, 2022, 10:04 PM EDT

Florida death toll climbs

Florida’s death toll from Hurricane Ian has climbed to at least 72, according to information from local officials.

Lee County, which encompasses Fort Myers, accounts for the majority of the fatalities, with at least 35 lives lost in the county, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Part of a destroyed mobile home park is pictured in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Sept. 30, 2022.
Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images

An aerial image shows destroyed houses in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., on Sept. 30, 2022.
Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images

In Charlotte County, which is home to Punta Gorda, the preliminary death toll is 23, the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office told ABC News.

Other fatalities were reported in Sarasota, Volusia, Lake, Collier, Hendry and Manatee counties.

Despite the "complete devastation" in Lee County, Sheriff Carmine Marceno said Saturday that "there's light at the end of the tunnel. ... We are going to be stronger than ever."

"We are one big family together. That's what makes us great. And sometimes these horrific events bring us all together for us to move forward," Marceno said.

An aerial image shows the only access to the Matlacha neighborhood destroyed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sept. 30, 2022.
Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images

An aerial image shows the only access to the Matlacha neighborhood destroyed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sept. 30, 2022.
Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images

-ABC News’ Matt Foster

Oct 01, 2022, 7:58 PM EDT

1.05 million without power in Florida

Over 1.05 million customers remain without power in Florida on Saturday, days after Hurricane Ian tore through the state.

Osceola County Sheriffs use a fanboat as they urge residents to leave the flooded Good Samaritan Society following Hurricane Ian, Sept. 30, 2022, in Kissimmee, Fla.
Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images

Homes and businesses are flooded from the rising waters of the Peace River after Hurricane Ian, on Sept. 30, 2022, in Arcadia, Fla.
Crystal Vander Weit-USA Today Network

Another 56,800 customers are without power in North Carolina and more than 17,000 are in the dark in Virginia after Ian and its remnants moved north.

A motorist drives though high water, as another turns around during the effects from Hurricane Ian, Sept. 30, 2022, in Charleston, S.C.
Alex Brandon/AP

Oct 01, 2022, 5:16 PM EDT

Over 1,100 people rescued in Florida by National Guard

More than 1,100 Floridians have been rescued by the Florida National Guard in the wake of Hurricane Ian, according to state officials.

The rescues include 1,076 people evacuated from flooded areas in southwest and central Florida as of Saturday morning, as well as 78 people transported from a flooded nursing home facility, Gov. Ron DeSantis' office said in a press release.

Oct 01, 2022, 4:11 PM EDT

14-mile stretch of Florida's I-75 reopens after shutdown due to flooding river

The Florida Department of Transportation announced Saturday that it is reopening the 14-mile stretch of Interstate 75 that was shut down due to rising river water under the highway. Officials said the Myakka River's water levels had receded enough to safely reopen the highway.

But, officials warned they may have to shut down the interstate again if water levels rise once more.

Motorists are seen stalled on I-75 North bound on Septe. 30, 2022 in Punta Gorda, Fla.
Ivy Ceballo/Tampa Bay Times viaZUMA Press

Officials had shut down I-75 from mile marker 179, near North Port and Toledo Blade Blvd. to mile marker 193, near Jacaranda Blvd, and long detours were in place.

I-75 is the main highway on the west coast of Florida and is a main route for travelers between Tampa-St. Petersburg and Fort Myers and Naples.

Related Topics