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:
As flooding begins Charleston police urge 'only essential travel'
Hours before Hurricane Ian is expected to make landfall in South Carolina, Charleston police are urging "only essential travel" and announcing road closures.
"We are experiencing flooding in many of our usual locations and implementing road closure procedures. We expect additional closures throughout the day," police said in a tweet.
Flash flood warning issued for Charleston, South Carolina
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for the Charleston metro area until noon on Friday.
The NWS says that heavy rain and tide will continue to increase and cause life-threatening conditions and flash flooding.
-ABC News' Max Golembo
Florida governor set to hold early morning press conference on Hurricane Ian
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will hold his next press conference at 8:45 a.m. ET, according to a media advisory provided by his office.
DeSantis will be joined by FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell.
-ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway
Biden declares state of emergency in South Carolina
President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in South Carolina, the White House announced late Thursday night, as Hurricane Ian takes aim at the state.
-ABC News' Lauren Minore
Ian to be at least Category 1 hurricane when it hits South Carolina
Ian is expected to be at least a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds when it makes its third landfall near or north of Charleston, South Carolina, Friday, in the late morning or early afternoon.
Ian, currently a high-end tropical storm with winds up to 70 mph, is moving off the east-central coast of Florida, currently 40 miles northeast of Cape Canaveral. The storm is forecast to regain hurricane strength in the next 12 hours.
Hurricane warnings remain in effect for the entire coast of South Carolina. Charleston already had almost 2 foot storm surge Thursday as Ian gets closer, and storm surge is forecast up to 7 feet.
The storm surge combined with up to 10 to 12 inches of rain is extremely concerning as the area floods easily.
-ABC News' Melissa Griffin