This past week the nation has heard of the catastrophic impacts left by Hurricane Ian in the state of Florida. The hurricane made landfall in Florida this past week and resulted in great damages all around. The rampage of Hurricane Ian has left many wondering how to proceed in tackling the damages caused by this extremely deadly storm.

The hurricane first made landfall in Florida on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 28th. The category 4 storm made its way across the Southwest coast in a matter of hours. Wind speeds fell at around 150 mph at the peak of the storm. As the day progressed, the hurricane gradually slowed to a category 1 hurricane by nightfall. Wind speeds dropped down to around 90 mph but heavy rain continued on throughout the night. 

In the wake of the storm over 2 million people were left without power. Various communities along Florida’s west coast issued mandatory curfews Wednesday night to ensure the safety of their residents. Evacuation orders were also issued in certain areas that looked to be right in the storm’s path. Locals were advised of downpours of rain of almost 30 inches in northeastern and central parts of the state. The worst of the storm had passed but there was still more in store for the citizens of Florida.           

The impact of the storm was felt by millions across the state and rescuers have been out searching and looking for any survivors. They started their search and rescue the following morning after the storm hit on Thursday September 29th. By end of day Thursday over 700 individuals had been rescued in the Charlotte and Lee counties alone. These numbers have kept increasing since then. This hurricane has also proven to be deadly and a number of people have unfortunately passed away as a result of the conditions left by Hurricane Ian.   

Florida has been known for its many tropical storms over the years but Hurricane Ian has taken the place of being the deadliest hurricane the state has seen in 60 years. Hurricane Ian has marked its place as being one of only 15 category 4 storms to hit Florida. The death toll is climbing each day and many are left to pick up the pieces left of their lives and start anew. 

Actions have been taken by both the state and the country in order to combat the lasting effects of Hurricane Ian. The National Guard and coast guard were deployed to assist with search and rescue in many parts of Florida. Alongside national assistance, the Florida Division of Emergency Management has also deployed an abundance of resources to areas where the hurricane wreaked havoc and left everything in shambles. 

The rebuilding and bounce back from this hurricane will take time and a great deal of patience from all parties involved. There is no guarantee as to when things will be somewhat normal for those affected. Taking each day one step at a time is all one can do in times like these. Everything will turn out okay in the end but the process of getting to that point will be long and tasking for everyone whose lives have been turned upside down by this hurricane.