The Hurricane, which has strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane and is projected to make landfall on Friday afternoon in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, is causing people to prepare for it.
On Thursday, when Hurricane Ian swiftly strengthened and made its way to South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane, it left thousands of Floridians stuck in floodwaters, millions without electricity, and “substantial” loss of life afterwards.
Following its Wednesday landfall as a Category 4 hurricane along the coast, Ian tore into Florida, leaving a swath of devastation in its wake. 2.7 million People were left without power as rescue teams worked to reach stranded residents among hazardous floods, fallen power lines, and extensive damage. Although the death toll in Florida is yet unknown, it may be concerning. President Joe Biden said Hurricane Ian might wind up being the deadliest hurricane in Florida history and may have caused “significant loss of life.”
Forecasts warn that the hurricane might make landfall during high tide, increasing the risk of flooding, therefore Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina are preparing for it.
Florida’s Path Of Destruction
After tearing across Cuba, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday, leaving the whole nation in the dark due to the failure of the electrical infrastructure. Millions of people were told to leave the US coastal state, as locals stocked up on goods in anticipation of the hurricane that was rapidly racing at them.
On local television and social media, horrific images of the state’s flooding with saltwater engulfing entire neighborhoods were shared. According to Reuters, trees were uprooted, cars were washed away, and floodwater in some places reached the rooftops.
Numerous people who lived in mobile homes took refuge in local schools and other structures that had been converted into homeless shelters. According to a Reuter’s story, most of the area’s several assisted-living institutions were also evacuated. According to the study, Ian had caused storm surges that were potentially fatal, measuring up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) in certain locations. Storm surges are waves of saltwater pouring ashore caused by wind.
On Thursday, the state’s roughly 2.7 million households and businesses were left without electricity. Some islands were entirely sealed off from the outside world. The Sanibel Causeway, which connects Sanibel and Captive islands to the mainland, would require either a significant renovation or a total replacement, according to Descants. However, the mayor of Sanibel said that the hard-hit island is uninhabitable despite some inhabitants’ decisions to stay.
Lee and Charlotte counties, according to Descants, were “essentially off the grid.” “. The barrier islands of Lee County, including Fort Myers Beach, suffered the brunt of Hurricane Ian’s onslaught on Florida’s coastline, and whole neighborhoods filled with mobile homes, condominiums, and townhomes. It is flat, “a local informed USA Today.
Death Toll Uncertain
According to a CNN report, the storm in Florida is believed to have killed at least 17 people, while the real death toll is yet unknown and might be higher.
Governor Ron Descants admitted several deaths during a press briefing that evening, but he cautioned against speculation until there was official confirmation. We fully expect to lose lives as a result of this catastrophe, “he continued.
According to Reuters, President Joe Biden stated today at FEMA headquarters in Washington that Ian may up being the worst state-wide disaster in history. “The exact figures are still unknown, but early indications indicate that there may have been a significant loss of life, “According to Biden, this storm may be the worst in the history of the state.
Rescue workers meanwhile plunged through chest-deep water to reach trapped citizens all around the state. According to the Associated Press, Governor Descants reported that the U.S. Coast Guard, National Guard, and urban search-and-rescue teams had carried out at least 700 rescues on Thursday, the majority of them by air.
Sheriffs in south-west Florida said that 911 centers were swamped with hundreds of stranded calls, some of whom had life-threatening crises. According to the Associated Press, rescue workers were reportedly using saws to cut through fallen trees to reach people.
South Carolina Braces For Impact
After making landfall in Florida, Ian was reduced to a tropical storm, but as it reached the coast of South Carolina, forecasters stated it regained hurricane intensity over the Atlantic Ocean and has now strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
As Ian proceeds near Georgia and South Carolina, the incredibly hazardous conditions it has caused will persist, including catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surges, according to CNN. Forecasts indicate that Hurricane Ian may approach South Carolina’s coast shortly before or just after high tide, increasing the risk of flooding there.
According to our research, Charleston, South Carolina’s mayor allegedly advised locals to “hunker down” and treat Hurricane Ian seriously as it approached with a storm surge of up to 7 feet. Flooding along the shore is particularly likely in Charleston. When the storm strikes tomorrow, Charleston Mayor John Mecklenburg urged residents to stay indoors and away from danger.Hundreds of miles of coastline from the South Carolina-Georgia border north to Cape Fear, North Carolina, were under a hurricane warning, according to Reuters. According to the National Weather Service, Ian may deliver the region potentially lethal storm surges and tornadoes on Friday.
Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina advised citizens to “take appropriate preparations, “warnings for potential tornadoes, landslides, and flooding. This storm remains hazardous, “Cooper remarked.
Since Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Ian may be the first storm to hit the state as a hurricane. On Friday, the storm is expected to make landfall north of Charleston about 2:00 PM ET (1800 GMT).
Charting Ian’s “Road to Hell” in Florida and South Carolina: Island “Wiped Out,” Death Toll “Substantial”
