The aftermath of Hurricane Ian has rendered hundreds of Floridians internally displaced as they struggle to restart their lives while rescuers scramble to find any remaining signs of life among the wreckage of Hurricane Ian.
With death toll rises above 80, authorities said, as the southern state took stock of the aftermath of one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the United States
Florida residents are grappling with widespread destruction and flooding after Hurricane Ian, one of the deadliest storms to ever hit the United States, left devastating ruin in its trail.
Across the most affected parts of the state, local and federal rescue crews continued to scour neighborhoods for survivors. “We are not in a recovery phrase,” said Chase Fabrizio, leader of Maryland Task Force 1, a search-and-rescue crew of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “We are still in the search.”
Several bridges were destroyed, complicating rescue efforts. The causeway to Sanibel, a 12-mile barrier island, was rendered impassable, cutting off the island from the mainland.
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden are planning to travel to Puerto Rico on Monday and to Florida on Wednesday to see the extent of the hurricane damage, the White House announced late Saturday.
Their visit comes as the president warned that Ian could be Florida’s deadliest hurricane. The confirmed death toll is expected to rise as autopsies are completed and recovery efforts continue.