Trending:

Confirmed death toll from Hurricane Ian rises to 52

By Chris King • Updated: 01 Oct 2022 • 21:52

Confirmed death toll from Hurricane Ian rises to 52

Image of the devastation in Fort Myers after hurricane Ian. Credit: Twitter@fortmyerspolice

The confirmed death toll from Hurricane Ian has risen to a total of 52 people.

The death toll from Hurricane Ian has risen this evening, Saturday, October 1, to a total of 52 people. As the numbers come to light, criticism surrounds the late decision made by the authorities in Lee County, Florida, to evacuate the public.

Fort Myers, located in Lee County, bore the brunt of the epicentre of the horrendous storm, where Sheriff Carmine Marceno confirmed tonight that 35 people died in the awful devastation. Officials in the Florida county claimed to the New York Times that they delayed issuing evacuation orders because they believed the hurricane would pass further to the north.

“Today, we’ve had over 600 to 700 rescues of people that are in need. During this difficult time, we’re at about 35 deaths, unfortunately. It’s with a heavy heart that I say that number”, said Sheriff Marceno. “Last night I just sat there by myself thinking about the devastation, looking through pictures, and I’ll tell you it brought tears to my eyes. We are going to work harder and we are going to be stronger than ever”.

The eventual order to evacuate in Lee County was issued on the morning of Tuesday, September 27, almost 24 hours later than in some of the neighbouring counties where people were told to leave on Monday 26. This eventual late notice came less than one day before the storm made landfall, as reported by dailymail.co.uk.

Further fatalities occurred in the counties of Manatee, Lake, Collier, Charlotte, Volusia, and Sarasota, with the majority the result of drowning. A 68-year-old woman reportedly died after being washed out to sea by a huge wave. Another 22-year-old perished when her ATV rolled over after a road washout, while a 71-year-old man fell from the roof of his home as he was attempting to put up rain shutters.

Finally weakened to a post-tropical cyclone, Ian subsequently beat a path out of Florida into South Carolina. The storm was predicted to continue a path across North Carolina today, reaching south-central Virginia during the afternoon.

___________________________________________________________

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

Comments

    • CCW60

      02 October 2022 • 15:23

      So sad and tragic but if any blame should be owned by anyone it is those who chose to stay. People were warned for at least a week before the hurricane hit that this was going to be a potentially CAT 5 hurricane and to take the threat seriously. They were told it was best to leave. Some given mandatory evacuation orders defied them and sheltered in place. Floridians have been through so many hurricanes they thought they could stay and this was much adoo about nothing. Most were concerned only about the damage from wind, forgetting the storm surge that could literally put them under water. It’s amazing there aren’t hundreds or even thousands of deaths. Prayers continued for the rescuers, victims and their families.

    Comments are closed.

Continue Reading