Much of Florida still without power after Hurricane Ian, search and rescue efforts continue
Nearly a week after Hurricane Ian roared ashore and knocked out power across the Sunshine State, many Floridians were still in the dark, battling humid temperatures and lingering flood waters.
The megastorm walloped Florida as a massive Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 28 and lingered over the state, lashing the coast and further inland with torrential rain and severe winds before moving on to North and South Carolina. More than 100 people have been confirmed dead in the days since, with the majority of them being in Florida, as well as a few each in North Carolina and in Cuba, the site of Ian’s initial landfall.
Search and rescue efforts in Florida dragged on Tuesday, with officials warning the number of storm-related deaths may continue to climb as crews reach some of the hardest hit regions. In Lee County, which includes Fort Myers and Sanibel, officials acknowledged that they could not force people to leave their homes, but warned that it could be a mistake to remain in the region.
“It is really dangerous to be in Fort Myers Beach right now. There is no power. There is no water,” Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais told reporters, adding that it could take “30 days at a minimum” for crews to rebuild and restore the electrical infrastructure.
Ian knocked out power to to 2.6 million customers across Florida when as it ripped across the state with 150 mph winds and pushed a powerful storm surge. Since then, teams have raced to restore electricity, but it hasn’t been quick enough for the residents left to sweat it out in swampy weather without air conditioning.
Catalina Mejilla, a resident in the coastal town of Bonita Springs, said she was forced to borrow a generator in a bid to keep her children and grandfather cool while they wait for their power to return. She called the heat “unbearable” and noted her mother started staying with a friend after conditions in their powerless home made it difficult for her to breathe.
“When there’s no power ... we can’t make food, we don’t have gas,” Mejilla said. “I think they should give power to the people who are most in need.”
Eric Silagy, Chairman and CEO of Florida Power & Light — the largest power provider in the state — said he understands the frustrations while emphasizing crews are working as quickly as possible to bring back power. He said the utility expects to have electricity restored to 95% of its service areas by the end of the day Friday.
Lee County Electric Cooperative added that it hopes to have the lights back on in the region for 95% of residents by Saturday, but that does not include barrier islands like Sanibel that are in its service area.
As of Tuesday, more than 400,000 Floridians were without power, including more than 200,000 in Lee County alone.
Ian’s remnants, now a nor’easter, continue to terrorize the United States with torrential rain across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts. Flooding is forecast all the way to Long Island in New York while Norfolk and Virginia Beach declared states of emergency.
With News Wire Services
