Hurricane Ian left millions of homes and businesses without power in the United States. The cyclone has now weakened to a Category 1, but the danger is not yet over.
The cyclone has caused storm surges as high as 3.6 meters in some coastal towns. Storm surge has led to major flooding, but according to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, waters will rise along the coast as the storm moves inland.
Hours after making landfall near the island of Cayo Costa, Ian weakened from a second severe Category 4 to a Category 3.
A cyclone with winds of 145 kilometers per hour is now one of the first of its kind. These too can have devastating effects.
The expectation was that Ian would slowly but surely weaken above ground. But of course until Thursday, serious trouble should be taken into account.
Many homes and businesses are without power, leaving residents stranded at home
About two million homes and commercial buildings remain without power. In Collier County, south of where Ian made landfall, many people were trapped in their homes by high water, a police spokesman said.
DeSantis said 250 planes and helicopters, 1,600 vehicles and 300 boats were ready to help citizens as soon as possible.
Many pictures of the storm are being shared on social media. US meteorologist Mike Pettes shared a picture on Twitter showing water up to almost 2 meters in streets along the coast. For example, one photograph shows flamingos from the Sunken Gardens at the Botanic Gardens being brought to safety in toilets.
Images on social media showed streets along the Florida coast flooded, cars down and trees bent horizontally in the wind.
About 2.5 million people were evacuated
With its beaches and large hotels, the area is generally a sunny destination for retirees and vacationers. On Wednesday, they were urged to move to a safe place as soon as possible. Some escape routes, such as bridges, have already been closed because it is too dangerous to go out on the streets. About 2.5 million Florida residents have been evacuated, the news agency said AP.
Before Ian made landfall in Florida, the hurricane was already raging in western Cuba. 2 people died there and the island lost power.
Ian sinks a boat carrying Cuban immigrants en route to Florida. US Border Patrol says 20 people on board are missing. There were 23 people, but the Coast Guard managed to rescue 3 people who drowned. Helicopters are continuing to search for victims.