Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm because it continued to maneuver northeastward throughout central Florida, with a large and lethal surge of water and catastrophic winds which are poised to make it one of many costliest storms in US historical past.
The previous Class 4 hurricane made landfall west of Fort Myers close to Cayo Costa shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday native time. Almost all of Florida, dwelling to 21 million folks, braced for widespread blackouts and floods. Greater than 2 million folks have been ordered or urged to flee. The storm is predicted to trigger greater than $67 billion in damages and losses and world transport is already diverting from its path.
Learn extra: Hurricane Ian: Shark sweeps into streets amid rain, tornadoes in Florida. Video
“That is going to be a tragic occasion,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated Wednesday because the storm neared shore. “It’s one thing that’s going to be there for days, weeks, months and sadly in some circumstances even years.”
A storm of this magnitude is a extreme take a look at for Florida’s infrastructure as a result of its low-lying and densely populated coastal areas which are vulnerable to flooding. It comes as local weather change has fueled excessive climate worldwide this yr, together with lethal flooding in Kentucky and Pakistan, a European warmth wave that killed greater than 2,000 folks in Portugal and Spain, and relentless drought within the US west.