State Watch

LIVE COVERAGE: Ian regains hurricane strength as it barrels toward Carolinas

Ian has regained hurricane strength as it spun toward South Carolina a day after devastating a cross section of Florida. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm’s maximum sustained winds increased Thursday to 75 mph.

It was centered about 240 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina, and moving northeast at 10 mph. Ian made landfall Wednesday on Florida’s west coast as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds. 

Forecasters said coastal waters were subsiding along Florida’s west coast, but warned of life-threatening storm surge through Friday along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Live Hurricane Ian radar imagery:

Source: National Weather Service

–The Associated Press contributed.

Biden approves emergency declaration as Ian bears down on South Carolina

President Biden late Thursday approved an emergency declaration for South Carolina, as Ian barreled toward the state with increasing strength.

Ian, which was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm after tearing through Florida on Wednesday, was upgraded to a hurricane once again Thursday evening.

It is expected to make landfall in South Carolina on Friday afternoon, with life-threatening storm surges along the Carolina coast and flooding rains up to southern Virginia, according to the National Hurricane Center. After landfall in South Carolina, Ian is expected to quickly weaken as it travels inland and into North Carolina.

Biden’s emergency declaration allows for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate disaster relief in the state.

—Julia Shapero

Rescue crews on boats search for people stranded in flooded homes in Florida as Ian barrels toward South Carolina

Thousands of Floridians were rescued by crews on boats after being trapped in their flooded homes and among wrecked buildings amid Hurricane Ian’s aftermath.

Ian strengthened back to a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic Ocean before pummeling Florida Thursday, and is now predicted to strike South Carolina by Friday as a Category 1 storm.

The storm is likely to cause gusting winds and heavy rain hours before it actually arrives to South Carolina, and along the state’s coast, four to seven feet of storm surge is expected.

If Ian does strike South Carolina as a hurricane, it will be the first hurricane to hit the state since Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

—Maureen Breslin

DeSantis says he expects deaths from Hurricane Ian

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday evening declined to provide a death count from Hurricane Ian but said he expects the count to ultimately climb.

“We absolutely expect to have mortality from this hurricane,” DeSantis said, adding that officials have completed more than 700 rescues.

But the Florida governor cautioned the public to not speculate about the number of deaths after a local official made a large projection earlier in the day.

About 2.6 million Floridians do not have power, and officials have so far restored 200,000 accounts, DeSantis said.

—Zach Schonfeld

Florida hospitals without running water, begin evacuating patients

Hospitals in Florida were forced to evacuate patients Thursday due to a lack of running water and 98 percent of the county being without power.

Lee Health President and CEO Larry Antonucci announced that three out of four hospitals in the area were forced to evacuate.

While he said the structure of the facilities held up against the storm, it has caused complications in water and power.

“We’ve been faced with an unprecedented challenge with this hurricane. It has caused devastation throughout our community and is putting an incredible strain on our health system,” Antonucci said in a Facebook video of the announcement.

The emergency departments at the hospitals will remain open, though patients who come through will need to be transferred to other facilities.

Ian surges back to hurricane status

After being downgraded to a tropical storm early Thursday, Ian has surged again to hurricane status as it heads north from Florida toward Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The latest update forecasts Hurricane Ian heading to the more northern states with life-threatening flooding, storm surge and strong winds.

Ian made landfall in the southwest coast of Florida early Wednesday as a  Category 4 hurricane, but was downgraded early Thursday as it moved away from Florida’s Gulf Coast and pushed into northeastern parts of the state.

—Julia Mueller

Twelve percent of Florida’s gas stations out of fuel

About 12.4 percent of Florida’s gas stations are without fuel, according to Patrick De Haan, an analyst at GasBuddy.

In the Tampa area, about a third of all gas stations are without fuel, and in the Fort Myers and Naples area, 22 percent of stations are without gas.

In Gainesville, 18.7 percent of gas stations are without fuel, and in Orlando, 14.2 percent are empty.

Hurricane Ian has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it moves off the Florida east coast. The storm is expected to make landfall in South Carolina over the weekend.

De Haan said gas stations in the Carolinas “have a limited ability to prepare for disruptions.”

“Their tank size is finite, and resources are limited to prepare for a surge in demand,” he said.

— Brad Dress

Florida residents crowdsource help online to find loved ones

Floridians are crowdsourcing help online as they seek to find their loved ones in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

On CrowdsourceRescue.org, concerned Floridians in and around Fort Myers have created dozens of tickets asking for help to track down, locate or get in touch with a friend or family member they have not heard from.

In many of the tickets, people are describing the contact’s age, name and residence, explaining they have not heard from the person for sometimes a day or longer. At least one person had not heard from their mother and father in more than 24 hours.

— Brad Dress

DeSantis tells residents who evacuated to ‘not rush’ home

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) warned residents who evacuated due to the hurricane not to go back to their homes yet due to the debris left behind by Hurricane Ian.

“As hurricane Ian passes, do not rush to come home—we have crews working to clear the roads and restore power. Avoid downed power lines, flood water, downed trees, and do not drive in standing water,” DeSantis tweeted Thursday.

He told Floridians to stay up to date with announcements from Florida’s Division of Emergency Management to know when it is safe to return to their communities.

Floods trap many in Florida as Ian heads to South Carolina

Image: U.S. Coast Guard.

Aerial photos from the Fort Myers area, a few miles west of where Ian struck land, showed homes ripped from their slabs and deposited in a jumble among shredded wreckage. Businesses near the beach were completely razed, leaving just twisted debris. Broken docks floated at odd angles beside damaged boats, and fires smoldered on lots where houses once stood.

National Guard sending thousands to assist with Hurricane Ian

The National Guard announced Thursday more than 5,000 National Guardsmen from multiple states will be heading to Florida to help damage and recovery efforts.

Guardsmen from Florida, Louisiana, New York, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, Montana and Virginia are heading to Florida to help, according to Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.

“We’re hurt by the significant devastation we’re seeing and the impact on the lives of Florida citizens,” Hokanson said. “In the immediate aftermath, search and rescue will be the focus. Our concern is saving lives and getting our folks in there as quickly as possible to make a difference in that critical time to get people out of situations that may be potentially life-threatening to them.”

“Because we’re in every community, we’re part of the first responders to assist in recovery immediately,” he said.

Biden: Hurricane Ian ‘could be the deadliest’ in Florida’s history

President Biden on Thursday warned Hurricane Ian could prove to be the deadliest storm in Florida’s history as it punished swaths of the state with flooding rains and damaging winds. 

“This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history. The numbers are still unclear, but we’re hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life,” Biden said during a visit to FEMA headquarters for a briefing on the hurricane response. 

“We’re continuing to see deadly rainfall, catastrophic storm surges, roads and homes flooded,” Biden added. “We’re seeing millions of people without power and thousands hunkered down in schools and community centers.” 

— Brett Samuels

Biden talks to Lee County commissioner

President Biden spoke to Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass to discuss ways the administration can support the county following Hurricane Ian.

The call, which included Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell, addressed meeting immediate needs for search and rescue efforts, power restoration and help to address challenges faced by local hospitals and problems presented by damage to roads and bridges.

Biden reassured the Commissioner that the White House would provide all the resources at its disposal.

South Carolina coast now under hurricane warning

The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for South Carolina, with “hurricane-force winds” expected to start early Friday.

The advisory says there could be a “life-threatening storm surge” in parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, along with “local significant flooding” that could happen in Georgia and South Carolina near the end of the week.

A hurricane watch is also in effect in northeastern Florida and Georgia.

Former FEMA director warns of lives lost after storm has passed

Former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Craig Fugate warned of the death toll from Hurricane Ian on CNN’s “New Day.”

He said one of the biggest threats to human life is people thinking it is safe to go out after the storm has passed, warning of chemicals, down trees and power lines, and animals that could be in the water.

“If you are somewhere safe, stay inside,” Fugate said.

“In Florida, we have seen as many people lose their lives after a storm has passed as we do from the storms,” he added.

Orange County firefighters help people stranded by Hurricane Ian early Thursday in Orange County, Fla.

(Orange County Fire Rescue’s Public Information Office via AP)

A firefighter carries a person while helping people stranded by Ian Thursday in Orange County, Fla.

(Orange County Fire Rescue’s Public Information Office via AP)

Authorities transport a person out of the Avante nursing home in the aftermath of Ian.

(AP Photo/John Raoux)

Authorities transport another person out of the nursing home in the aftermath of the hurricane.

(AP Photo/John Raoux)

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