The number of people killed in the entire state of Florida after the passage of Hurricane Ian is around 80 this Monday, after the climatic phenomenon unceremoniously made landfall, leaving devastation in coastal towns and an active search for survivors.
According to the sheriff of Lee County, Carmine Marceno, this Monday were counted 54 people killed, while in Charlotte County the number increased to 12. Eight people were registered dead in Collier County, five in Volusia, three in Sarasota, two in Manatee and one in Hillsborough, Lake, Hendry and Polk counties, according to the latest reports from the authorities.
Among the rescues as a result of the hurricane, more than 1,600 people have been rescued in areas of southwestern and central Florida since last week, according to the office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, CNN reported.
Despite that the electrical service has been gradually restored in the state, near 600,000 homes, businesses and other of locations had no power Monday, according to PowerOurage.us.
Similarly, many residents do not have clean running water, and more than 100 Boil water advisories in places throughout the state, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Meanwhile, Floridians who have been sheltered by Ian’s attacks have tried to return to their homes, which are now without electricity or clean drinking water.
Lee County officials are facing criticism over the timing of the mandatory evacuations, which would not have been ordered on time but a day after Ian made landfall, despite a emergency plan that suggests that the evacuations should have occurred earlier.
In the face of questioning, Ron DeSantis clarified that officials in Lee County, the area where the most deaths occurred, acted “appropriately” when they issued the first mandatory evacuations last Tuesday, less than 24 hours before Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa.