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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South Carolina, North Carolina issue states of emergency
The governors of South Carolina and North Carolina each issued states of emergency on Wednesday afternoon in preparation for Ian's arrival.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said no evacuations or school closures have been ordered yet.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the decision would help first responders and farmers and protect customers from price gouging.
The storm is expected to cross Florida and enter the Atlantic before making landfall again along the South Carolina coast over the weekend.
Over 1 million power outages
Over 1 million Florida customers were without power on Wednesday just after Ian made landfall.
The majority of outages were along the west coast in Sarasota, Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties.
Ian makes landfall as Category 4
Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida's west coast Wednesday afternoon as a powerful Category 4 storm, slamming the coastline with powerful 150 mph winds and dangerous storm surge.
Landfall was at about 3:05 p.m. ET near Cayo Costa, an island off the coast of Fort Myers.
For southwest Florida, Ian “will probably be the big one that they always remember,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
The governor said Ian will likely stay in the state until Thursday, exiting from Daytona Beach.
Biden to visit FEMA on Thursday
President Joe Biden will visit FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to receive an update on Hurricane Ian, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
“We have deployed significant federal resources to the region to help prepare for the hurricane,” Jean-Pierre said at Wednesday’s press briefing. “We have more than 1,300 federal response workers on the ground in Florida. ... Three-hundred Army Corps personnel are on the ground to support power and fuel assessments. Three-hundred ambulances are supporting local officials, and multiple federal disaster medical assistance teams are deployed to Florida and Georgia.”
Biden calls Florida damage 'among worst in nation's history'
President Joe Biden spoke from the White House Friday afternoon about Hurricane Ian's wrath, describing the devastation in Florida as well as warning residents of South Carolina to be prepared for another landfall.
"We're just beginning to see the scale of that destruction," Biden said of the damage in Florida. "It is likely to rank among the worst in the nation's history. You have all seen on television, homes and property wiped out. It is going to take months, years to rebuild."
He added, "I just want the people of Florida to know we see what you are going through and we are with you. And we are going to do everything we can for you."
Biden said the U.S. Coast Guard has mobilized 16 helicopters, 18 rescue boats and six fixed-wing planes to help in search and rescue in Florida. More than 100 people have been rescued by the Coast Guard, Biden said. Hundreds more have been rescued by volunteers.
"The federal government will cover every cost, 100% of the cost, to clear the massive debris left in the wake of the hurricane and these counties," the president said. "It all needs to be cleared out for communities to begin the hard work of trying to get back on their feet."