Deadly Hurricane Heads For Carolinas After Devastation In Florida

US forecasters expect Hurricane Ian to unleash life-threatening conditions on the Carolina states on Friday after causing devastation in Florida, where it killed at least 12 people with the toll expected to rise

Fort Myers, United States, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Sep, 2022 ) :US forecasters expect Hurricane Ian to unleash life-threatening conditions on the Carolina states on Friday after causing devastation in Florida, where it killed at least 12 people with the toll expected to rise.

After weakening across land, Ian regained its Category 1 status in the Atlantic Ocean, the US National Hurricane Center said, predicting up to seven feet (two meters) of storm surge as it slams into the South Carolina coast by afternoon.

The storm, one of the most powerful ever to hit the United States, left hundreds of people in need of rescue in Florida.

State Governor Ron DeSantis on Friday described the coastal Fort Myers area as "ground zero," adding "but this was such a big storm that there are effects far inland.

" Many people evacuated, but thousands chose to shelter in place. DeSantis said Florida officials had so far contacted 20,000 people who chose to stay.

At least 12 people have been confirmed dead, according to local officials, the majority of them in Charlotte county.

DeSantis has warned that it was too early to give a death toll, and that concrete information about casualty numbers could be expected over several days.

The NHC has issued a hurricane warning for South Carolina's entire coast, as well as portions of Georgia and North Carolina.