Hurricane Ian Inflicts Damage Off the Atlantic Coast

Hurricane Ian first made landfall in Florida on September 28, resulting in extreme destruction and flooding. This storm was classified as Category 4, consisting of winds up to 150 m.p.h., and only continued to travel.

Roughly 2 million citizens in Florida were ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Ian continued to pose as a threat, however, many chose not to do so.

Ian continued to strengthen and was even deemed by the National Hurricane Center as a “rapid intensification” hurricane. The death toll in Florida reached a minimum of 100 individuals, most by drowning. A reported 20 inches of rain was dropped onto Florida during the storm.

The ocean water rose up to 12 feet above the coast level, however, some officials argue that some areas may have exceeded this amount.

The hurricane has since dissipated but the aftermath continues to inconvenience Floridians, as a plethora of individuals still do not have power. The clean-up process is estimated to take several months, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is still yet to announce when disaster zones are safe to be entered by professionals.

The American Red Cross is working to comfort those who were affected by Ian, such as by providing food and shelter. The Red Cross website allows those in need to find local shelters, which offer hot meals, supplies, support, and electricity. The organization also urges individuals to donate blood to help patients.