Hurricane Ian Rampages Through Florida Leaving Trail of Devastation (2024)

Florida continues to face "severe and life-threatening storm surges" as Hurricane Ian, which has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm, makes its way across the state.

Widespread "catastrophic" flooding is expected across Florida on Thursday, with hurricane-force winds continuing to do damage across central and eastern parts of the state, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Ian brought maximum sustained wind speeds of around 75 miles per hour on Thursday morning, the NHC reports, with the hurricane making its way towards the western Atlantic while continuing to lose strength.

More than 2.3 million Floridians are without power, according to PowerOutage.US, with some western counties reporting a near-100 percent outage.

Hurricane Ian made landfall on Wednesday near Cayo Costa island in Florida at around 3pm EDT, as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of around 150 miles per hour.

Vehicles and some structures were swept away as a path of destruction was carved through areas of western and central Florida.

Videos posted online showed entire houses being torn from their foundations, then floating down the street, near Fort Myers Beach on Estero Island, off the southwest Florida coast.

There are unconfirmed reports of people trapped in Lee County, but Sheriff Carmine Marceno told NBC News that rescue workers wouldn't be able to respond until winds fell below 45 miles per hour.

The NHC gave its most recent "key messages" update at 11pm EDT on Wednesday: "Severe and life-threatening storm surge inundation of 8 to 10 feet above ground level along with destructive waves is ongoing along the southwest Florida coastline from Englewood to Bonita Beach, including Charlotte Harbor.

"Hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, will continue to spread across central Florida near the core of Ian through early Thursday. Hurricane conditions are expected along the east-central Florida coast overnight through early Thursday."

More flooding is expected across eastern Florida on Thursday, as rain is dumped on already-saturated ground.

The NHC said residents could expect "considerable flooding in northern Florida, southeastern Georgia and eastern South Carolina" from Thursday until the weekend.

The federal agency added: "There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge on Thursday and Friday along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, with hurricane conditions possible. Residents in these areas should follow any advice given by local officials."

On Wednesday night, the Collier County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook that it was in "triage mode" and prioritizing life-threatening emergencies.

The post read: "We are in call triage mode. We are getting a significant number of calls of people trapped by water in their homes.

"Some are reporting life threatening medical emergencies in deep water. We will get to them first. Some are reporting water coming into their house but not life threatening. They will have to wait. Possibly until the water recedes."

Further north, Fort Myers Fire Department said its crews had been out assessing the damage on Thursday morning, though they noted a curfew remains in place for the public.

On Facebook, the department posted: "FMFD crews have begun survey and recon operations to assess damage and needs within the City of Fort Myers post Hurricane Ian.

"Crews have reported back with debris in the roadways, flooding, electrical lines down, power poles in the roads, traffic lights out, disabled vehicles, and building collapses.

"All residents are urged to follow the curfew in place, allowing crews to clear main thoroughfares, and complete search & rescue operations."

States of emergency remain in place for Florida, where 7,000 National Guard soldiers will assist relief efforts, along with Georgia and South Carolina.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents of the Sunshine State to be careful going outdoors after Hurricane Ian has passed.

He tweeted: "After #HurricaneIan passes, be careful going outside. Make sure to avoid downed power lines, avoid standing water, stay clear of trees, do not drive in standing water and keep generators 20 feet outside of your home."

Ian is the ninth named storm of the 2022 hurricane season for the Atlantic. Satellite footage, filmed just before Ian made landfall on Wednesday, showed repeated flashes of lightning, all around the eye of the storm.