At least 125 people have been reported killed as a result of the storm – 120 of them in Florida and five in North Carolina. As of Tuesday night, Florida data provided to CNN reflected at least partial information for 72 of the state’s storm victims. Of those 72 deaths, drowning was listed as a “possible” or known “circumstance” in the deaths of 40 people.
More than 1,000 search and rescue personnel have combed through 79,000 structures across the Sunshine State, DeSantis told reporters Tuesday, with more than 2,300 rescues logged.
Search and Rescue teams will begin secondary searches of damaged and destroyed homes on Sanibel Island Thursday, according to city manager Dana Souza. Teams will not enter homes unless they have reason to believe that someone needs assistance.
But it’s still unclear how many people remain missing.
Officials are compiling a list of those who remain unaccounted for, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Monday.
Statewide, more than 270,000 customers still have no power Wednesday, according to PowerOutage.us, many of them in hard-hit Lee and Charlotte counties. Many schools also remain shuttered, some hospitals are still struggling to provide care and boil-water notices remain in place in some areas.
Hurricane Ian hit the area just before tourist season. Johnson said Sanibel will feel an economic impact.
“Unfortunately, this tourist season will be nonexistent,” Johnson said. “We are not going to be prepared to accept our tourists at this time.”
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