By MEG KINNARD and ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Hurricane Ian made one other landfall Friday, this time in South Carolina, after carving a swath of destruction throughout Florida earlier this week.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Ian’s heart got here ashore Friday afternoon close to Georgetown with most sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph).
Ian hit Florida’s Gulf Coast as a robust Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph (240 kph) winds Wednesday, flooding properties and leaving practically 2.7 million individuals with out energy.
Before landfall, Sheets of rain whipped timber and energy traces and left many areas on Charleston’s downtown peninsula underneath water by noon. A well-liked pier within the seashore group of Pawleys Island collapsed and floated away. In Myrtle Beach, waves have been pushing towards the town’s boardwalk vacationer space, flowing over the place 1000’s of vacationers usually fill the large sandy stretch.
Ian left a broad swath of destruction after it got here ashore on Florida’s Gulf Coast as one of many strongest storms ever to hit the U.S. The storm flooded areas on each of Florida’s coasts, tore properties from their slabs, demolished beachfront companies and left greater than 2 million individuals with out energy. At least 9 individuals have been confirmed lifeless within the U.S. — a quantity that was nearly sure to extend as officers verify extra deaths and seek for individuals.
Rescue crews piloted boats and waded by way of riverine streets Thursday to save lots of 1000’s of individuals trapped amid flooded properties and buildings shattered by Hurricane Ian.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis mentioned Friday that rescue crews had gone door-to-door to over 3,000 properties within the hardest-hit areas.
“There’s really been a Herculean effort,” he mentioned throughout a information convention in Tallahassee.
Climate change added no less than 10% extra rain to Hurricane Ian, based on a research ready instantly after the storm, mentioned its co-author, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab local weather scientist Michael Wehner.
Among these killed have been an 80-year-old girl and a 94-year-old man who relied on oxygen machines that stopped working amid energy outages, in addition to a a 67-year-old man who was ready to be rescued died after falling into rising water inside his house, authorities mentioned.
Officials worry the dying toll might rise considerably, given the large territory swamped by the storm.
Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie mentioned responders have targeted to date on “hasty” searches, aimed toward emergency rescues and preliminary assessments, which might be adopted by two extra waves of searches. Initial responders who come throughout doable stays are leaving them with out confirming, he mentioned Friday, describing for instance the case of a submerged house.
“The water was up over the rooftop, right, but we had a Coast Guard rescue swimmer swim down into it and he could identify that it appeared to be human remains. We do not know exactly how many,” Guthrie mentioned.
At least three individuals have been reported killed in Cuba after the hurricane struck there on Tuesday.
In Florida, companies close to Fort Myers Beach have been fully razed, leaving twisted particles. Broken docks floated at odd angles beside broken boats. Fires smoldered on heaps the place homes as soon as stood.
“I don’t know how anyone could have survived in there,” William Goodison mentioned amid the wreckage of a cellular house park the place he’d lived for 11 years. Goodison rode out the storm at his son’s home inland.
The hurricane tore by way of the park of about 60 properties, leaving many destroyed or mangled past restore, together with Goodison’s. Wading by way of waist-deep water, Goodison and his son wheeled two trash cans containing what little he might salvage — a conveyable air conditioner, some instruments and a baseball bat.
The highway into Fort Myers Beach was suffering from damaged timber, boat trailers and different particles. Cars have been deserted within the highway, having stalled when the storm surge flooded their engines.
Emergency crews sawed by way of toppled timber to succeed in stranded individuals. Many within the hardest-hit areas have been unable to name for assist due to electrical and mobile outages.
A bit of the Sanibel Causeway fell into the ocean, slicing off entry to the barrier island the place 6,300 individuals reside.
Hours after weakening to a tropical storm whereas crossing the Florida peninsula, Ian regained energy Thursday night over the Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center predicted it could hit South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane Friday, nonetheless a lot weaker than the Category 4 hurricane it was on Wednesday.
National Guard troops have been being positioned in South Carolina to assist with the aftermath, together with any water rescues. And in Washington, President Joe Biden authorised an emergency declaration for the state, a wanted step to hurry federal help for restoration as soon as Ian passes.
In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper urged residents to organize for torrents of rain, excessive winds and potential energy outages.
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Gomez Licon reported from Punta Gorda, Florida; Associated Press contributors embody Terry Spencer and Tim Reynolds in Fort Myers, Florida; Cody Jackson in Tampa, Florida; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Seth Borenstein in Washington; and Bobby Caina Calvan in New York.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”