Hurricane Ian: Waves flood roads in Key West as storm strengthens to category 4
After spending most of Thursday as a tropical storm, Ian has now been upgraded to a hurricane again as it takes aim at the South Carolina coastline.
President Joe Biden has issued an emergency declaration for the state.
Ian is forecast to make landfall somewhere near Charleston, South Carolina, at about 2pm today. It will produce life-threatening flooding, storm surge and strong winds across parts of Florida, Georgia and North and South Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“Ian could slightly strengthen before landfall, and is forecast to rapidly weaken over the southeastern United States late Friday into Saturday,” an advisory said.
Meanwhile, dozens of rescue operations have been taking place across Florida after unprecedented flooding from one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the United States.
Thousands of people are stranded across the state as coastguard helicopters were seen plucking people from roofs after several feet of water surged into neighbourhoods. Some 2.5 million people remain without power.
The damage and economic losses caused by Hurricane Ian could amount to as much as $120bn, according to the latest estimate.
Orlando International Airport to reopen after Hurricane Ian closure
Orlando International will reopen at 12pm ET (5pm BST) on Friday 30 September, following two days of closure due to Hurricane Ian.
The hurricane hit Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday morning as a monstrous Category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest storms ever to hit the US. It then weakened and was categorised as a tropical storm on Thursday, before being upgraded to hurricane strength once more on Friday.
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Orlando International Airport to reopen after Hurricane Ian closure
Florida hub previously announced that it would ‘cease operations’ from Wednesday morning
Maroosha Muzaffar30 September 2022 09:56
Residents in North Port asked to shelter in place
Residents in North Port, Florida have been asked to shelter in place till 6am ET today amid flooding from Hurricane Ian.
Officials in North Port issued a citywide curfew for residents from 8pm yesterday night.
“There is a strong potential for the water levels throughout the city to continue rising over the days ahead as the rainwater Hurricane Ian dumped to the north of us flows south”, the city officials said.
Maroosha Muzaffar30 September 2022 09:54
2.07 million homes in Florida still without electricity
According to PowerOutage.us, nearly 2.07 million homes and businesses in Florida were still without electricity, as of early Friday morning.
On Thursday, there were 2.6 million Floridians who were without power in the state.
Florida Power & Light, the state’s largest energy provider, said in a tweet: “Downed trees, high winds and flooding are posing challenges but we’re working around the clock to repair and restore all areas.”
Maroosha Muzaffar30 September 2022 09:49
Tom Brady promises to help with Hurricane Ian relief work
Tom Brady, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, has announced that he will donate money towards Hurricane Ian relief efforts.
In a tweet, he said: “Happy we’re able to head home for Sunday night, but so many people in Florida won’t be able to do the same. I’ll be making a donation to the Florida Disaster Fund to get things started, and I’m hoping the rest of the NFL family in our state will follow suit.”
The owners of the team, the Glazer family, also announced donations of $1m to “organisations that are providing support to those who have been most impacted” in Florida.
Maroosha Muzaffar30 September 2022 09:42
Ian a ‘1-in-1000 year rain event’ says Florida meteorologist
ICYMI: Hurricane Ian will enter the history books as one of the worst to make US landfall, with a triple threat of impacts: severe surge, wind & rain. The rapid intensification near landfall shown by vivid lightning and a clearing eye. A 1-in-1000 year rain event NW of the track,” tweeted WFLA-TV (Tampa Bay) Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli.
Graeme Massie30 September 2022 09:01
Residents of Charleston asked to stay home as Hurricane Ian heads to South Carolina
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg is asking residents of South Carolina’s largest city to stay home and out of harm’s way as Hurricane Ian heads to the city.
The storm had restrengthened into a hurricane on Thursday afternoon and is forecast to make landfall in the state today.
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Charleston residents asked to stay home as Hurricane Ian heads to city
The storm could bring up to seven feet of storm surge to the South Carolina coast
Maroosha Muzaffar30 September 2022 08:10
Luxury McLaren P1 washed out of Florida garage and submerged in water after Hurricane Ian
ICYMI: A McLaren P1, worth an estimated $1million, was washed out of its owner’s garage and submerged beneath several feet of water as Hurricane Ian tore through a Florida neighbourhood.
The footage was posted on social media by the owner of the luxury car in Naples, Florida.
McLaren car worth over $1m washed out of garage and submerged by Hurricane Ian
‘Car went through the garage,’ the owner of the more than $1m McLaren P1 wrote while sharing a picture of it beneath feet of water
Graeme Massie30 September 2022 07:54
Orlando International Airport to reopen today
Orlando International Airport will reopen today, two days after it was forced to close due to Hurricane Ian.
In a statement, officials said the airport would “resume flights beginning at noon Eastern time on Friday”.
The decision to reopen was made after a “thorough investigation of any property damage, and a careful consideration for the safety and security of the travelling public and airport employees”, the statement added.
Tampa and Jacksonville international airports are also reopening today.
Maroosha Muzaffar30 September 2022 07:50
Cubans suffer as hurricane-caused power outage goes on
The government has not said what percentage of the population remains without electricity, but electrical authorities said only 10 per cent of Havana’s 2mn people had power Thursday.
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Cubans suffer as hurricane-caused power outage goes on
Ivette Garrido hurried last week to get the 6 kilograms of subsidized chicken allotted to her family by Cuba’s government and put it in the freezer, happy to have meat to get through Hurricane Ian
Maroosha Muzaffar30 September 2022 07:40
Hurricane Ian heads for Carolinas after pounding Florida
A revived Hurricane Ian is bearing down on South Carolina’s coast and the historic city of Charleston, with forecasters predicting a storm surge and floods.
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Hurricane Ian heads for Carolinas after pounding Florida
A revived Hurricane Ian is bearing down on South Carolina’s coast and the historic city of Charleston, with forecasters predicting a storm surge and floods
Maroosha Muzaffar30 September 2022 07:16
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