Hurricane Ian updates: Florida death toll climbs
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.
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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.
-ABC News’ Mariama Jalloh
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
16 feet of storm surge possible
A whopping 16 feet of storm surge is possible around Fort Myers.
Up to 11 feet of storm surge is forecast for Naples while a maximum of 10 feet is expected for the Sarasota area.
"Our biggest concern as we wait for this storm to make landfall is storm surge," FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell warned Tuesday. "In 2018, when Hurricane Michael impacted the Florida Panhandle, there were five recorded fatalities as a result of storm surge."
Click here to learn how storm surge works.
Ian strengthens to Category 4 hurricane
Hurricane Ian strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday morning, as its winds climbed to 140 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm is the first Category 4 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico since Hurricane Rita in September 2005.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
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.
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.