The first recorded death due to Hurricane Ian is a 72-year-old man who was draining his pool during the storm.
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a press release that the man, whose name has not been released, was draining his pool into a 30-foot-wide canal using a hose. The death toll in Charlotte County is nearing double digits, according to CNN.
HURRICANE IAN: MONSTER STORM MAKES LANDFALL AS CATEGORY 4 STORM WITH WINDS NEAR 150 MPH
The man was standing on a steep decline into the water that was “extremely soft and slippery due to the heavy rain,” an initial investigation found.
His wife reported that he disappeared, and police arrived at the couple’s home at 1 a.m. Officials found his flashlight and then pulled his body from the canal. Despite using CPR, police were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at a hospital.
As Hurricane Ian ravages Florida, officials announced Thursday morning that they are predicting “hundreds of fatalities.”
Hurricane Ian made landfall along Florida’s west coast Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane with winds close to 150 mph. It was downgraded to a tropical storm early Thursday morning, but National Hurricane Center scientists said it could pick back up to hurricane status as it travels to Florida’s east coast, which could affect Georgia and the Carolinas.
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More than 2.5 million people were without power as of Thursday morning, with some areas along Florida’s Gulf Coast going completely dark. Cities such as Orlando and others in central Florida received flash flood warnings early Thursday morning as well, with the NHC warning of “life-threatening” conditions.
