VENICE — Emergency crews took to helicopters and boats on Thursday to rescue residents of Florida’s Gulf Coast stranded by floodwaters, downed power lines and…
One of the mightiest storms to hit the U.S. mainland in recent years, Ian flooded Gulf Coast communities before plowing across the peninsula to the Atlantic seaboard. Local power companies said more than 2.6 million homes and businesses in Florida remained without power.Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
“Sanibel Island is destruction … it got hit with really biblical storm surge. It washed away roads. It washed away structures,” DeSantis said during a news briefing as he described the widespread damage throughout the vacation destination made up of beaches, resorts and restaurants. There were two unconfirmed storm-related fatalities, DeSantis said. The extent of deaths and injuries was unclear on Thursday as rescue workers were only starting to respond to calls after not being able to go out during the treacherous conditions.Article content
“A lot of down trees, a lot of flooding everywhere. We are trying to get a hold of my daughter,” said Terri Byrd in a vehicle in a Walmart parking lot trying to get cell service after spending the night at an elementary school in Venice.In Punta Gorda, a town directly in the hurricane’s path, trees, debris and power lines covered roadways, though many buildings remained standing, having withstood the storm’s onslaught better than many had feared.
German automaker Mercedes Benz, U.S. planemaker Boeing Co, and the seaports that support manufacturers will suspend operations in South Carolina on Friday due to the potential impact of Ian.
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