The preliminary figures of deaths after the passage of Hurricane Ian in Florida rise to at least 15 , according to several United States media such as CNN, which made a balance this Thursday based on information from local authorities.
This balance coincides with what was said today by the state governor, Ron DeSantis, who assured that “mortality” is expected after the passage of the phenomenon, although he did not give any figures.
According to the media, in southwestern and central Florida at least 15 people have been reported dead so far due to Hurricane Ian.
On the other hand, Charlotte County, where the town of Punta Gorda is located, there were “at least eight or nine deaths,” said CNN citing a local official, Commissioner Joseph Tiseo, who deals with the fifth district of this county.
Charlotte County is located on the west coast of Florida and very close to the area where Ian made landfall on Wednesday with a Category 4 .
It is also “believed” that about five people died in Lee County, adjoining Charlotte and where Fort Myers is located, where it seems from the images that the greatest flooding and loss of homes occurred .
Lee’s sheriff, Carmine Marceno, said on social media that they are “devastated” by Ian’s consequences.
Marceno conducted an aerial tour of Lee County this Thursday morning to begin assessing the damage caused by Ian and showed images of extensive structural damage and flooding in the entire area.
One of the possible v íctimas is a 72 year old man from the town of Deltona, northeast of Orlando, who died early this Thursday morning after falling to a canal while emptying his pool in the midst of heavy rain, according to the Volusia County Police, in central Florida.
Sarasota County (west) reported two hurricane-related deaths for its part, Sheriff Kaitlyn Pérez told CNN, adding that her office did not have additional details about where the deaths occurred or information about the people. who lost their lives.
On the other hand, a person who was in palliative care died in Osceola County (central Florida), according to CNN, citing the director of Emergency Management, Bill Litton.
Apart from these deaths, it should be remembered that yesterday the disappearance of at least 20 Cuban migrants, whose boat capsized while trying to make landfall in Florida, due to force of the hurricane; the coast guard was only able to rescue three people.
After being downgraded to a tropical storm, Ian became a hurricane again this Thursday in the waters of the US Atlantic on its way to Georgia and the Carolinas, states which now threatens with floods, storm surges and strong winds, after leaving much of Florida devastated.
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· Ian recovers hurricane force and continues its course to South Carolina
· Cuban immigrant ship sinks off Florida after Hurricane Ian; missing 20 people
A man died trying to drain his pool under Hurricane Ian in Florida