Palm Beach Post: Hurricane Ian has claimed 14 victims in the US state of Florida
At least 14 people in the U.S. state of Florida became victims of Hurricane Ian, which struck the east coast of the United States, the local publication Palm Beach Post reported on Thursday, citing unnamed officials.
It said casualties were reported from at least four different areas of the state. Local authorities are focused on clearing the debris created by the rampant disaster, making it difficult to give an exact number of deaths. They note that the death toll could rise significantly with time.
“Ian” struck the southwest coast of Florida the previous day, causing widespread destruction, widespread flooding, leaving more than 2.5 million consumers without electricity and paralyzing telecommunications networks and local airports.
On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron Desantis declared the damage caused by the storm “historic”. Desantis called the flooding of one of Florida’s rivers a once-in-500-year event. US President Joe Biden announced a natural disaster in Florida and ordered federal aid to the state.