Florida

Search for Survivors Continues as Florida's Death Toll From Ian Reaches 100

At least 100 people have been confirmed dead statewide in the aftermath of Ian, according to NBC News

NBC Universal, Inc.

Days after the skies cleared and the winds died down in Florida, Hurricane Ian's effects persisted Monday, as people faced another week without power and others were being rescued from homes inundated with lingering floodwaters.

At least 100 people have been confirmed dead statewide in the aftermath of Ian, NBC News reported Monday. The highest number of deaths climbed to 54 in Lee County,  where officials didn't order evacuations until Tuesday. Ian made landfall Wednesday, devastating Fort Myers, Sanibel and Pine Islands.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, has prepared its largest search-and-rescue operation in the wake of Hurricane Ian’s destruction in Florida.

Search and rescue efforts were still ongoing Monday in Florida. More than 1,900 people have been rescued statewide, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Monday evening.

"We need to all work together right now and we need to get people back up on their feet," DeSantis said.

Washed-out bridges to barrier islands, flooded roadways, isolated cellphone service and a lack of water, electricity or the internet left hundreds of thousands still isolated. The situation in many areas wasn't expected to improve for several days because waterways were overflowing, leaving the rain that fell with nowhere to go.

“We are without a roof overhead. We need food. We need money to buy things,"said Maria Galindo, speaking in Spanish. "We need help.”

Galindo lives in Harlem Heights, the mostly Hispanic community of 2,000 near Fort Myers that was hammered by the Category 4 hurricane. 

Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy told NBC’s “Today Show” on Monday that the search and rescue mission would be taking place for the next couple of days. Murphy said that was why residents who evacuated are largely being kept away from their homes.

With the death toll rising, Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the federal government was ready to help in a huge way, focusing first on victims in Florida, which took the brunt of one of the strongest storms to make landfall in the United States. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden plan to visit the state on Wednesday.

Criswell told “Fox News Sunday” that the federal government, including the Coast Guard and Department of Defense, had moved into position “the largest amount of search and rescue assets that I think we’ve ever put in place before.”

Still, recovery will take time, said Criswell, who visited the state Friday and Saturday to assess the damage and talk to survivors. She cautioned that dangers remain with downed power lines in standing water.

About 400,000 homes and businesses in Florida were still without electricity Tuesday morning, down from a peak of 2.6 million.

Hurricane Ian Causes Power Outages Throughout Florida

As Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida, power outages are expected to grow across the state. The Category 4 hurricane has brought catastrophic winds and flooding to the state.

Source: PowerOutage.us
Credit: Andrew Williams / NBC

The current goal is to restore power by Sunday to customers whose power lines and other electric infrastructure is still intact, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Monday. It does not include homes or areas where infrastructure needs to be rebuilt.

In DeSoto County, northeast of Fort Myers, the Peace River and tributaries reached record high levels.

Many residents in the rural county of about 37,000 people could only be reached by boat. What roads remained above water were blocked, according to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, which was assisting with the efforts.

“Right now we working on creating teams to help find stranded residents and we are dispatching ATVs to help get rid of debris on roadways that were impossible to travel over," deputies wrote in a Facebook post.

Joe Gunn said the first two days without power at his Punta Gorda home weren't bad because he, his wife and 4-year-old daughter like to camp.

But then they ran out of gas, Gunn said as he waited for an hour for $20 worth of premium fuel from a Bonita Springs station, one of the few open in the area. The family then drove to get supplies and a hot meal.

Gunn was preparing for another stressful night, worried someone might try to steal his supplies. “I am constantly listening to the generator. It’s pitch black outside of the house," he said.

The state will build a temporary traffic passageway for Pine Island, DeSantis said Sunday, adding that an allocation had been approved for Deportment of Transportation to build it this week and construction could start as soon as Monday.

“We’re completely isolated we have people that desperately need help and this is our road,” resident Cherie Herrera said.

NBC 6's Phil Prazan has the latest as questions arose surrounding Lee County's delayed evacuation response for Hurricane Ian

Pine Island has no electricity, no gas, and no grocery stores are open.

“It’s not going to be a full bridge, you’re going to have to go over it probably at 5 miles an hour or something, but it’ll at least let people get in and off the island with their vehicles,” the governor said at a news conference.

Coast Guard, municipal and private crews have been using helicopters, boats and even jetskis to evacuate people over the past several days.

One by one, residents and pets were brought to safety.

South Florida is sending aid to those affected by Hurricane Ian in SW Florida. NBC 6's Xochitl Hernandez reports.

"We had generators, we were running out of gas, the baby had no milk," Bob Soffe, a resident rescued from Pine Island said.

He was evacuated Sunday by the U.S. Coast Guard National Strike Force, an elite group of specially trained men and women who navigate areas that are hard to access using 15-foot rubber inflatable boats looking for people cut off by the storm.

Over 5,200 Florida Guardsmen have been activated to assist in recovery efforts, DeSantis said Sunday, and to 2,000 Guardsmen from neighboring states were also activated to assist.

In rural Seminole County, north of Orlando, residents donned waders, boots and bug spray to paddle to their flooded homes Sunday.

Ben Bertat found 4 inches of water in his house by Lake Harney after kayaking there.

“I think it’s going to get worse because all of this water has to get to the lake” said Bertat, pointing to the water flooding a nearby road. “With ground saturation, all this swamp is full and it just can’t take any more water. It doesn’t look like it’s getting any lower.”

AP and NBC 6
Contact Us