Florida Emergency Director Kevin Guthrie:
"We have 12 unconfirmed fatalities in Charlotte County. We have eight unconfirmed fatalities in Collier County. We have one confirmed fatality in Polk County. So that brings us up to twenty-one total."
The hurricane came ashore on Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S. mainland, transforming beach towns into disaster areas.
Two days later, the extent of the damage there is just now being realized.
President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House Friday, said this hurricane would likely rank among the worst in U.S. history.
"We're just beginning to see the scale of that destruction...You have all seen the scene on television, homes and property wiped out. It's going to take months, years to rebuild."
Just under 2 million homes and businesses remained without power in Florida on Friday, according to tracking service PowerOutage.us.
And rescue efforts are underway.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis:
"...rescue personnel have gone to more than 3000 homes in the hardest hit areas, going door to door to check on the occupants of those residences. There are over a thousand dedicated rescue personnel who are going up and down the coastline."
Meanwhile, Ian is expected to bring life-threatening flooding, storm surges and winds to South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina. Officials in all three states warned residents to prepare for dangerous conditions.
