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.
Latest headlines:
DeSantis: More than 700 rescues since Ian's landfall
There have been more than 700 confirmed rescues in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian slamming Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday.
The Sanibel Causeway, which suffered significant damage in the storm, will most likely need to be rebuilt entirely, he said.
There were more than 2.3 million customers without power in the state just before 9 p.m. ET Thursday.
-ABC News' Darren Reynolds
Tracking Hurricane Ian: Where could the storm hit next?
Another coastline known for its sensitivity to storm surge will feel Ian's wrath as the storm system looks to make another landfall.
While Ian made a slow crawl through central and northern Florida on Thursday as a tropical storm, its sights will soon be set on the coast of South Carolina -- specifically Charleston, which historically does not do well with storm surge.
Ian regained strength Thursday evening as a Category 1 storm with winds of 75 mph as it makes its way north.
See the latest maps, projections and possible paths as Ian targets the Carolinas.
-ABC News' Julia Jacobo and Meredith Deliso
Thousands evacuated from nursing homes, hospitals
As of Thursday afternoon, 45 nursing homes were evacuated across Florida -- impacting about 3,500 residents -- as were 115 assisted-living facilities, according to the Florida Health Care Association.
Read more of our coverage here.
-ABC News' Mary Kekatos
FAA closes Fort Myers airspace
The FAA has issued a temporary flight restriction order over Fort Myers, Florida, "to provide a safe environment for Hurricane Ian search."
The airspace will remain closed through Friday.
- ABC News' Sam Sweeney
Hurricane Ian now Category 1 storm
Ian continues to gradually weaken as it moves across the Florida Peninsula, now a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds down to 90 mph. The storm is moving to the north-northeast at 8 mph, and the center is currently about 70 miles south of Orlando.
While Ian is weakening, it's still bringing widespread dangerous weather impacts across the state.
-ABC News' Dan Peck