Hurricane Ian kills 77 and many uncounted, Biden confirms to visit

Florida, The Gulf Observer: At least 77 people have been confirmed dead after Hurricane Ian struck the US with rescuers desperately searching for survivors among the ruins of flooded homes.

The remnants of one of the strongest and costliest hurricanes in American history is now headed north, with authorities in Florida and South Carolina left assessing the damage.

Ian has been likened to an “A-bomb” and about 10,000 people remain unaccounted for, although the authorities believe many are likely to be in shelters or without power.

It comes as President Joe Biden and the first lady confirmed their plans to travel to Florida and Puerto Rico next week to survey the damage and meet officials and residents after the hurricane Ian battered both regions.

The Bidens will visit Puerto Rico on Monday and then Florida on Wednesday.

According to the American Red Cross, more than 1,300 disaster workers are supporting relief efforts across five states.

Of those killed, 73 were in Florida – mostly from drowning. But the storm has also had knock-on effects, and an elderly couple lost their lives after oxygen machines stopped working because of a power outage.

Hurricane Ian’s winds and coastal surges have terrorised millions of people for most of the week – and although it has now been slightly downgraded to a cyclone, officials have warned the storm is still dangerous.

“Treacherous” conditions are still forecast throughout this weekend for large swathes of the east coast – including New York, New Jersey and Washington DC.

President Biden has approved an emergency declaration for the state, which authorised the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts in all its 100 counties as well as for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians – a federally recognised Indian tribe based in western North Carolina.