VENICE, Florida: Hurricane Ian plowed the Florida Gulf Coast with devastating force on Wednesday, unleashing strong winds, torrential rain and a terrifying surge of surf that made it one of the most powerful in recent years. Made one of the American hurricanes.
Hitting the coast as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph (241 km/h), Ian quickly inundated sandy beaches and a picturesque stretch of coastal towns. changed to the area of
Early video images of the storm’s fury on local TV and social media showed floodwaters washing away cars, nearly reaching roofs in some communities and houses with palm trees bent almost in half.
Parts of central Florida are forecast to receive up to 30 inches (76 cm) of rain as the storm moves inland, threatening widespread flooding. About 2 million homes and businesses across the state were without power as of an hour before sunset, utilities reported.
“This storm is doing a lot to the state of Florida,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis, who asked U.S. President Joe Biden to approve a major federal disaster declaration that would send a wide array of U.S. emergency aid to the entire state. Will provide range.
US border officials said 20 Cuban migrants went missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Florida as Ian approached the coast on Wednesday.
There were no immediate official reports of other storm-related deaths.
The governor said an unknown number of people were trapped in “high-risk” evacuation areas and needed help after orders to seek higher ground were violated, but rescue crews were unable to immediately reach them.
After passing through Cuba on Tuesday, leaving it without power for hours, Ian made landfall in Florida at 3:05pm EDT (1905 GMT) on Wednesday, at Cayo Costa, the US National Hurricane Center’s (NHC) Fort. Just west of Myers is a barrier island. ) reported.
The storm’s wind speeds put it just shy of a Category 5 designation on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, the maximum rating.
Ian then hovered ashore on the Florida mainland, south of the harbor town of Punta Gorda, with sustained winds of 145 mph.
DeSantis said Ian produced deadly storm surges — waves of wind-driven seawater coming along the coast — up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) in some places. Forecasters have also warned of severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes.
“This is a storm we’ll be talking about for years to come, a historic event,” National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said.
