Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic devastation, flooding and at least 11 deaths across Florida.
A 72-year-old man who went outside during Hurricane Ian to drain his pool has been confirmed dead by the Volusia County Sheriff's Department. A press release published on Thursday morning states that deputies responded to a home on Poinciana Lane near Lake Bethel in Deltona, Florida, around 1 a.m. after the victim's wife reported that he'd disappeared after heading outside. Authorities believe the man put a hose down a canal behind the home that was 30 feet wide in an attempt to drain the pool. "While searching for him, deputies found his flashlight, then spotted the victim unresponsive in" the canal, the press release states.
A 72-year-old man died while trying to drain his pool as Hurricane Ian barrelled across Florida Thursday morning. 💔 https://t.co/cat8gkz9qP
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) September 29, 2022
"The initial investigation indicates the victim was using a hose to drain the pool down a hill and into a 30-foot-wide canal, where a steep decline into the water was extremely soft and slippery due to the heavy rain," it adds. "Several deputies pulled the victim from the water and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but the victim could not be revived. He was later pronounced deceased at the hospital." According to Sun-Sentinel, Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic devastation, flooding, and at least 11 deaths across Florida since making landfall along the southwest coast of Florida on Wednesday afternoon. President Joe Biden said Ian "could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history" and responsible for a "substantial loss of life."
72-year-old Florida man dies after going out into Hurricane Ian to drain his pool https://t.co/qOGZe3ASH2
— WTAE-TV Pittsburgh (@WTAE) September 30, 2022
On Thursday, Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis said that so far, over 700 people have been rescued from Charlotte and Lee Counties, which were the two worst hit areas. However, the governor refused to speculate on the number who may have been killed, reports BBC. "To see a house just sitting in the middle of Estero Bay literally must have gotten picked up, flown because of the massive wind speed and the storm surge, and deposited in a body of water," DeSantis said after visiting the city. "I would say the most significant damage that I saw was on Ford Myers Beach, some of the homes were wiped out, some of its was just concrete slabs."
New data from NASA reveals how warm ocean waters in the Gulf of Mexico fueled Hurricane Ian to become one of the most powerful storms to strike the U.S. in the past decade. https://t.co/bGkewxipVL
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 30, 2022
At the governor's briefing, Kevin Guthrie, the director at the Florida Division of Emergency Management warned citizens about indirect fatalities that can happen after a storm system has passed. He urged homeowners to watch out for power lines mixed in trees and warned people not to tinker with generators, chainsaws, or ladders without proper training. "People need to be extremely careful," Guthrie said. "If you do not know how to use a chainsaw. If you do not know how to climb a ladder. If you do not know the difference between a cable line and a power line, you should not be doing that."
This is a developing story, and we’ll update you as we learn more. Information about Hurricane Ian is swiftly changing, and WomenWorking is committed to providing the most recent and verified updates in our articles and reportage. However, considering the frequency in developments, some of the information/data in this article may have changed since the time of publication. You can get official alerts and updates on Hurricane Ian from the National Hurricane Center.
References:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63084460
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Gerardo Mora
