Hurricane Ian, one of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit the U.S., made landfall as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane in the southwest coast of Florida. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Hurricane Ian “could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history.” It’s about substantial loss of life (exact numbers not yet known), millions without power, big floodwaters, destroyed bridges (including in Fort Myers) and other big damages all around.Tourist attractions face major rebuilding challenge as Florida’s leisure and hospitality sector accounts for nearly 1.3 million jobs. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared the „storm changed the character of a significant part of our state.” Sanibel Island “got hit with really Biblical storm surge. It washed away roads. It washed away structures … There have been a number of people that have been identified and brought off the island safely,” he added.
“I have never seen a storm that has caused so much damage in this area before,” Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson declared. In Lee County, the largest issue now is that residents do not have access to clean water. Officials are rapidly deploying supplies, such as cots, blankets, tarps and bottled water, to people in need in Florida. Hurricane Ian is forecasted to make landfall at about 2 p.m. Friday near Charleston, South Carolina. Ian will move inland, significantly weakening, but will bring heavy rainfall.
