„This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history,” US President Joe Biden addressed the people with this grim prognosis. Pictures on Friday gave an impression of the incredible force with which “Ian” hit the “Sunshine State”: Completely destroyed streets, houses in ruins, cars floating in the water. And now the residents face other dangers – alligators, for example.
The Tampa Bay Times newspaper reports at least 17 dead. In the district of Charlotte County on the southern west coast of Florida alone, where the hurricane made landfall, seven people are said to have died.
In Florida, streets are under water, houses have been razed, bridges have been destroyed or boats have washed ashore, as in Fort Myers. On Key Largo, one of the islands in the Florida Keys in the far south of the state, the water in the streets is so deep that crocodiles swim in them – and that in turn has actually become a danger for people.
“We absolutely expect there to have been fatalities,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said. In more than 700 cases, people were rescued from great danger, and the coast guard used helicopters to rescue desperate people from the roofs of houses.
Florida: More than 2.6 million people without power
More than 2.6 million homes were without power, and more than 350,000 had power restored as of Thursday, the governor said. On Sanibel Island, the bridge connecting it to the mainland was destroyed.
The Lee County Sheriff is at a loss for words at the sight of Fort Myers Beach. “It was an area of hotels, restaurants, palm trees and sand, and now what?” A stunned resident told the Tampa Bay Times, “It’s absolute devastation, there’s almost nothing left.”
Authorities warned residents of flooded areas of dangers in the water – for example pollutants from the sewage system, chemicals – or even alligators. Broken electricity and gas lines can also cost lives. Helicopter footage showed burning houses between flooded streets or properties from which the buildings were completely washed away.
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“Hurricane ‘Ian’ is going to be a storm that we’ll be talking about for decades to come,” said Deanne Criswell, director of the US Civil Protection Agency. There is still no precise assessment of the damage. “But it will be catastrophic.” Your agency is preparing for thousands of families not being able to return to their homes. (dpa/miri)