Hurricane Ian: Revived storm pounds South Carolina as death toll rises to 27

Flooding continued in central Florida as storm barrelled through state before gathering strength

Hurricane Ian moving up East Coast

A revived Hurricane Ian battered South Carolina, bringing heavy rains and flooded streets as the death toll in the US from one of its costliest storms climbed to 27.

The storm barrelled through western Cuba and raked across Florida before gathering strength in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean to curve back and strike South Carolina.

While the storm was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone earlier on Friday, the agency warned river flooding will continue through next week across central Florida. Meanwhile, president Joe Biden has issued an emergency declaration for South Carolina.

The storm hit Florida as one of the most powerful hurricanes in the state’s history, with wind speeds nearly reaching Category 5.

Nearly 2 million people in Florida were left without power – and economic losses could amount to $120bn, according to an estimate.

Key Points

• Revived storm batters South Carolina
• Ian downgraded to post tropical storm
• Hurrican Ian aftermath: Death toll rises to 27
• Nearly 2 million people without power in Florida and Carolinas
• President Biden issues emergency declaration in South Carolina

[1 October 2022 02:03 · Graeme Massie]

Florida woman films herself riding out Hurricane Ian in pool float as storm surge swallows neighborhood

ICYMI: A woman has shared distressing footage of herself floating in an inflatable pool inside her home during Hurricane Ian as waves lap up against the windows.

“If you’ve ever floated in a floaty pool in your own living room with your refrigerator, at your door,” she said in a video on TikTok.

Floodwaters are an extremely dangerous place to be during a storm. Not only is there the threat of floods rising further and potentially drowning people in their own homes, but the water can pick up sharp objects and hazardous chemicals as it washes through a city.

Watch here:

[1 October 2022 03:06 · Graeme Massie]

Biden: Largest response team in recent history

ICYMI: President Joe Biden said that the federal government had helped pre-deploy the largest response team in recent history to Florida, as the state works to assess the damage and recover from Hurricane Ian.

Rescue teams need to be “in the water now,” the president said.

He said that he talked to a Coast Guard lieutenant commander who talked about saving a 94-year-old woman via a helicopter and a one-month-old baby.

Parts of southwest Florida have been completely devastated by Hurricane Ian, with many areas around Fort Myers and Port Charlotte facing severe damage. Officials are still assessing the death toll, but hundreds of people have been rescued as first responders search for survivors.

[1 October 2022 04:01 · Graeme Massie]

South Carolina pier has collapsed

ICYMI: A pier on Pawley Island, on the northern South Carolina coast, has collapsed and is floating into the ocean, the local police department said.

The area is getting a near-direct hit from the storm as it makes landfall on Friday afternoon, and the police have shared photos of flooding across the island, calling it “catastrophic.”

[1 October 2022 05:03 · Graeme Massie]

ICYMI: Orlando area starts to recover from the storm

University of Central Florida students use an air mattress to leave a flood apartment complex in Orlando on Friday (AP)

A man pulls a canoe through floodwaters in New Smyrna Beach, just north of Orlando (AFP via Getty Images)

Drone footage shows a flooded neighbourhood in Orlanda, Florida on Friday (EPA)

[1 October 2022 06:04 · Graeme Massie]

Amazon delivery driver blasts orders during Hurricane Ian: ‘I hate y’all’

ICYMI: An Amazon delivery driver took out his frustration at delivering packages in Florida as dangerous weather conditions from Hurricane Ian moved into the state on Wednesday.

“Y’all knew this hurricane was coming and you still order s****,” he said in a video on TikTok from his Amazon delivery van. “I gotta go to 172 of y’all today.”

The man said in the comments that the storm didn’t directly hit his part of Florida but still brought some serious weather to the area.

[1 October 2022 07:00 · Sravasti Dasgupta]

Downgraded Ian lashes the Carolinas

The National Hurricane Centre has announced heavy rain, flash flooding and gusty winds as Ian moves into North Carolina.

It added that gusty winds are expected through North and South Carolina through Saturday.

[1 October 2022 07:19 · Graeme Massie]

Man died as floodwater engulfed home, Volusia Sheriff says

ICYMI: A 67-year-old man died as floodwaters filled his home in New Smyrna Beach, Florida on Thursday night, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Department.

The man’s wife and three dogs were able to make it out of the house and to safety, but the victim fell and was not able to get up before being overtaken by floodwaters.

First responders attempted to rescue him, but he was later pronounced dead.

Another man in Volusia County died overnight between Wednesday and Thursday morning while draining his pool as Hurricane Ian swept through the state.

Officials have noted dozens of potential deaths across Florida, with many areas still assessing the total damage.

[1 October 2022 07:40 · Sravasti Dasgupta]

Flooding to continue in Florida through next week

The National Hurricane Centre has said that flooding will continue through next week in Florida.

Portions of central Florida are expected to see major to record river flooding.

Considerable flooding is also possible in parts of southeast Virginia.

[1 October 2022 08:13 · Graeme Massie]

Former GOP candidates push baseless QAnon conspiracy theory that Hurricane Ian was created to punish DeSantis

ICYMI: Two former far-right former congressional candidates have said that Hurricane Ian was created to punish Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Republican-leaning states.

Lauren Witzke, the GOP candidate for US Senate in Delaware in 2020 said that “technology exists to manipulate weather” and suggested that the storm targeted Florida for promoting conservative political ideas.

[1 October 2022 09:01 · Graeme Massie]

Fox News anchor forgets Puerto Rico is part of the US in Hurricane Ian segment

ICYMI: A Fox News anchor was talking about hurricane impacts in Cuba and Puerto Rico when she said “Thank God we have better infrastructure in our country.”

People on social media took her to task for failing to note Puerto Rico, which was slammed by Hurricane Fiona earlier this month, is part of the United States.

Hurricane Ian hit Cuba this week before barrelling into southwest Florida. Large parts of both Cuba and Florida are without power as people recover from the storm.