Ian’s winds strengthened to 70 mph Thursday morning after the system weakened to a tropical storm while moving over central Florida. The storm was expected to regain hurricane strength as it moves into the Atlantic Ocean later Thursday.
Ian made landfall on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency.
At least seven people have been reported dead in Florida due to Hurricane Ian. Charlotte County Commissioner Chris Constance confirmed there are six deaths in his territory. Search and rescue operations are still going on. He said this was the worst damage ever caused by a hurricane. A seventh death was confirmed in Valesia County.
Lee Meath, the Florida-based health care system, has evacuated patients from three of its four hospitals due to a lack of running water, Dr. Larry Antonucci, the organization’s president and CEO, said Thursday. “Currently, our structures and facilities are in good condition. They have weathered the storm well, but our infrastructure is challenged in terms of our water and power supply,” he said. Lee Health is working with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and local emergency management to organize patient evacuations to other hospitals outside of Lee County, including Fort Myers.
More than 500 people have been rescued in Charlotte and Lee counties since rescue operations began Thursday morning, the Florida Division of Emergency Management said.
Search and rescue operations are still ongoing in those two counties.
About 250 people have been rescued in Orlando so far, officials said. The city received 14 inches of rain from the storm, according to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
