More than 700 rescues in Florida as ‘historic storm’ heads towards South Carolina - as it happened

We are pausing our live coverage for now. You can read the latest on Hurricane Ian as it moves towards South Carolina here:

With South Carolina bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Ian on Friday morning, search and rescue operations in Florida continued throughout Thursday as the scale of devastation wrought by one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the US mainland became clear.

There is still no indication of the death toll at this stage, although the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, said he “fully expects” mortality and Joe Biden fears it could be the deadliest storm in Florida’s history.

At 2am in Florida, here is what we know:

• President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in South Carolina, where Ian is expected to make landfall on Friday morning after once again strengthening to hurricane force. The storm is expected to strong winds, heavy rain and storm surges to the coasts of South Carolina and south-eastern North Carolina.

• Florida governor Ron DeSantis said in a press conference on Thursday that more than 700 people had been rescued by the Coast Guard and other organizations following the storm.

• The number of deaths from Ian remains unknown, with DeSantis refusing to speculate on the possible toll in his evening update. Reports indicated at least four confirmed deaths, however, with local officials suggesting there would be more. Biden had earlier said Ian could prove to be the deadliest storm in Florida history.

• DeSantis has reportedly asked Biden for federal disaster recovery funding, despite strongly opposing such measures in the past.

• An early study, which has not been peer-reviewed, suggests climate change added 10% to Ian’s rainfall totals. Forecasters predict Ian will have dropped up to two feet (61cm) of rain in parts of Florida by the time it stops.

• More than 2.2 million households and businesses are still without power in Florida, with DeSantis saying thousands of people were working to restore essential services in hard hit areas.

• Some wastewater facilities in Florida are discharging untreated sewage as storms overwhelm them, leading to untold environmental impacts.

Protesters in Havana demand return of electricity

Before its catastrophic arrival in Florida on Wednesday, Hurricane Ian pummelled Cuba, causing three deaths and a blackout of the entire island.

On Thursday night, the Associated Press reported that hundreds of Cubans took to the streets demanding the restoration of electricity, protesting more than two days after the power went out.

An Associated Press journalist saw a total of about 400 people gathered in at least two spots in the Cerro neighborhood shouting, “We want light, we want light,” and banging pots and pans.

It was the first public outpouring of anger after electricity problems spread from western Cuba, where Ian hit, and knocked out all of the island’s power grid Tuesday night, leaving its 11 million people in the dark.

In addition to power problems Thursday in Havana, internet service was out and cellphones did not work.

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Charleston, where Ian is expected to make landfall, may be particularly at risk from flooding, Reuters reports.

A city-commissioned report released in November 2020 found about 90% of all residential properties were vulnerable to storm surge flooding.

Parts of north-east South Carolina, near Charleston, could also experience up to 8 inches of rain.

Predicted storm surges were not as severe as those issued by the NHC when the storm was approaching Florida. Edisto Beach, South Carolina, a resort destination about 30 miles south of Charleston, was expected to see a 4- to 7-foot surge.

North Carolina’s governor, Roy Cooper, urged residents to “take necessary precautions,” warning of possible flooding, landslides and tornadoes. “This storm is still dangerous,” Cooper said.

Winds increase as Ian approaches South Carolina

With all of South Carolina’s coast under a hurricane warning, a steady stream of vehicles left Charleston on Thursday, many likely heeding officials’ warnings to seek higher ground. Storefronts were sandbagged to ward off high water levels in an area prone to inundation.

Along the Battery area at the southern tip of the 350-year-old city’s peninsula, locals and tourists alike took selfies against the choppy backdrop of whitecaps in Charleston Harbor as palm trees bent in gusty wind.

With winds picking up to 80 mph (129 kph) near midnight Thursday, Ian was forecast to shove a storm surge of 5 feet (1.5 meters) into coastal areas of Georgia and the Carolinas. Rainfall of up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) threatened flooding from South Carolina to Virginia.

A number of reports have mentioned Sanibel Island has been cut off from the mainland after the bridge connecting it to Fort Myers was damaged. These images vividly show the ferocity of the storm.

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South Carolina is now bracing for the arrival of Ian, with Joe Biden declaring a state of emergency.

The storm is expected to hit on Friday, bringing hurricane-force winds, heavy rain and storm surges to the coasts of South Carolina and south-eastern North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Centre.

Ian is forecast to make landfall late on Friday morning, but it effects will start to be felt much earlier.

The national guard has taken up positions to help with the aftermath, including any water rescues, while on Thursday afternoon, a steady stream of vehicles left Charleston.

DeSantis ‘fully expects’ mortality

At his evening news briefing, Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, acknowledged some people had perished but warned against speculating before official confirmation.

“We fully expect to have mortality from this hurricane,” he said.

DeSantis said at least 700 rescues, mostly by air, had been conducted, involving the US Coast Guard, National Guard and urban search-and-rescue teams, and that in some areas first responders were now going house-to-house to check on residents.

The coast guard began rescue efforts hours before daybreak on barrier islands near where Ian struck, he said.

DeSantis viewed Charlotte and Lee counties on Thursday and spoke of “indescribable” damage and the likelihood of services being disrupted for weeks to come.

“We have thousands and thousands of people on the ground working to restore power, opening roads, working to restore communications,” he said.

The New York Times has reported that despite adamantly opposing government assistance for natural disasters in the past, including in the case of Hurricane Sandy in 2013, DeSantis is now requesting the Biden administration give the state funds for recovery from Hurricane Ian.

In an interview with conservative host Tucker Carlson on Wednesday night, DeSantis requested full federal reimbursement for storm-related costs for 60 days.

“As you say, Tucker, we live in a very politicized time,” he said. “But you know, when people are fighting for their lives, when their whole livelihood is at stake, when they’ve lost everything — if you can’t put politics aside for that, then you’re just not going to be able to.”

The National Hurricane Centre says Ian could strengthen again before making landfall in South Carolina on Friday.

‘I need almost everything’

In hard-hit Fort Myers, Valerie Bartley’s family spent desperate hours holding a dining room table against the patio door, fearing the storm “was tearing our house apart”.

“I was terrified,” Bartley told AP. “What we heard was the shingles and debris from everything in the neighborhood hitting our house.”

As residents emerged on Thursday, long lines formed at gas stations and a Home Depot hardware store opened, letting in a few customers at a time.

Frank Pino was near the back of the line, with about 100 people in front of him.
“I hope they leave something,” Pino said, “because I need almost everything.”

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