Hurricane Ian officially hit Florida Wednesday, Sept, 28, but a week later, the full extent of its damage was revealed.
Even to Florida residents, who have faced various hurricanes in the past, the wreckage from the Category Four hurricane was tremendous. Ian flooded streets, toppled trees and left hundreds without a home.
On Sanibel Island, one of the worst hit locations, reports show that every home has some sort of damage. Ian also destroyed much of the roadway between the island and Florida’s mainland, leaving hundreds stranded. In nearby Fort Myers, buildings were destroyed and vehicles were washed up into the bay. In Lee County, which includes Fort Myers, there were about 800 rescues and 42 casualties.
Port Charlotte was another area devastated by the storm. Ian blew off part of the local hospital’s roof, exposing patients to pouring rain. Staff members were forced to move sick patients — some of them on ventilators — to dry rooms.
Hurricane Ian is Florida’s deadliest hurricane since 1935’s “Labor Day Hurricane.” The exact number of deaths is unknown, but the state has confirmed that the number is over 100.
If you wish to help, Florida has a Florida Disaster Fund and you can either donate here or by texting “disaster” to 20222.
