Hurricane Ian update
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — More than a week after Hurricane Ian devastated southwestern Florida, cleanup and relief efforts are still ongoing with the death toll continuing to rise.
Hurricane Ian made a highly significant impact back on Sept. 28 in southwestern and central Florida when high winds and water caused havoc on land.
As of earlier this week, over 100 people have been confirmed dead in Florida with other fatalities also confirmed in North Carolina (5), Cuba (3), and Virginia (1).
It is officially the deadliest hurricane to strike Florida since the powerful Labor Day hurricane of 1935. In comparison to Florida’s deadliest hurricanes on record since 1845, here is where Ian stands below:
Unfortunately, Ian is also the second-deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland United States in the 21st century behind Katrina in 2005. It is also the deadliest hurricane in the satellite era for Florida, and this era began in 1960.
Ian also made landfall in western Cuba, and it also hit South Carolina on Sept. 30. The National Hurricane Center declared Ian as a post-tropical cyclone at 5 p.m. Sept. 30 shortly after it made landfall in South Carolina.
Ian’s remnants would continue to slowly churn into the mid-Atlantic region through the beginning of October.
The storm surge was devastating in areas such as Fort Meyers and Sanibel Island with surge levels from 12-18 feet. Even areas well inland into central Florida and also the mid-Atlantic picked up on extensive heavy rainfall. Damage costs are expected to be well into the billions of dollars range in Florida alone, and there is a possibility that Ian winds up being one of the costliest storms in U.S. history.
This is the track Ian took during its entire lifespan.
