Follow the New York Post’s live coverage of Hurricane Ian as it moves North after lashing Florida. Get the latest on path updates, timelines, evacuation notices and more.
With Hurricane Ian downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone and well away from Florida, Floridians affected by the storm will now begin efforts to rebuild their communities.
Aerial images show Ian's devastating impact in Florida.
Hurricane Ian, which devastated parts of Florida and the Carolinas, was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone late Friday evening.
The cyclone is moving south of Greensboro, North Carolina as of early Saturday morning.
People trapped in hurricane-hit areas in North Port, Florida waiting for rescue teams on September 30, 2022 in Florida, United States. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The cyclone is reaching winds of 40 mph, and areas, where the cyclone is passing through, might expect gusty winds and possible flash floods, Fox Weather told the Post.
The Florida Department of Transportation closed the highway in both directions and drivers are being advised to seek alternative routes.
STANDSTILL TRAFFIC on I-75 near North Port, FL because the Myakka River has risen to dangerous levels. There is a full closure. pic.twitter.com/m0Wu8KX54Z
Ian-related power outages across North Carolina as of 9 p.m. Friday night. ReadyNC.com
Ian continued its destructive path along the East Coast Friday night, knocking out power across North Carolina after wreaking havoc on Florida earlier this week.
Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement earlier Friday that more than 10,000 state utility workers “are poised to respond to power outages when it’s safe to do so.”
Though Ian has been downgraded, heavy rains, gusty winds and storm surges are expected to continue overnight, NCEM said.
A US Coast Guard aircrew rescued a man who was stranded on his boat in a sea of mangroves near Sanibel, Florida, Thursday.
A riveting video shows a Jayhawk squad lowering a member onto the vessel before placing the man and some of his belongings into a crate, which was then hoisted back into the helicopter.
A @USCG Air Station #Clearwater aircrew rescued a man from his vessel stranded in mangroves from flooded areas near Sanibel, Florida in the wake of Hurricane #Ian, Thursday.
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Families in Hurricane Ian-ravaged areas north of Fort Myers were still grappling with dangerous conditions, waterlogged homes and rescue attempts Friday.
While waters had largely receded from directly-hit Cape Coral and its neighboring city, roughly 50 miles north distressed residents were still trapped inside their homes — including some in need of medical attention.
Marie Simon, a 44-year-old nurse, stood at the water’s edge on South Cranberry Boulevard, asking anyone with a boat, kayak, or paddle board to help her diabetic relatives, who were stranded three blocks away.
Many residents have been trapped in their homes. James Keivom
“They have been stuck for almost three days. They don’t have any food or water,” Simon told The Post.
“I hate to say, she wasn’t really prepared to be stranded.”
Some island Floridians are choosing to stay in their homes — despite losing power, water and access to the mainland, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
"A lot of the residents are stabilized. They rode out the storm," DeSantis said Friday. "But they are not asking to be rescued."
Several helicopters and boats of first responders have landed on the island in the past two days to shuttle residents to safety. The only causeway connecting Sanibel Island and Captiva to the rest of the Florida peninsula was left severed in several places after Hurricane Ian pummeled the area.
The Sanibel Causeway was destroyed in several places by Ian's wrath. AP
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Resident Judy Hicks is embraced by Project DYNAMO rescuer Bryon Wheeldon before she is taken off Florida's Sanibel Island Friday. AP Photo/Steve Helber
Ian-damaged homes seen on Sanibel Island Friday. AP Photo/Steve Helber
Residents of Sanibel Island are moved to a waiting US Coast Guard helicopter Friday. AP Photo/Steve Helber
Residents could only access the island by boat until the causeway was built in 1963. DeSantis said some islanders might be content with the isolation.
"I mean, some people like it that not as many people can come because they like being more tucked away," DeSantis said.
The governor said it will take an indefinite amount of time to restore electricity to the islands and fix the bridge.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis all but waved a gun in the face of thieves Friday.
"Don't even think about looting. Don't even think about taking advantage of people in this vulnerable situation," the Republican said during an evening briefing before threatening potential pirates.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a stark warning to any looters who wanted to take advantage of his storm-ravaged residents Friday. Reuters
Looters arrested in hard-hit Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Gage Goulding/NBC2
Governor DeSantis Delivers an Update on Hurricane Ian in St. Augustine https://t.co/OdxwEUIU3i
"I can tell you in the state of Florida, you never know what may be lurking behind somebody's home. And I would not want to chance that if I were you, given we're a Second Amendment state."
Pirates may ride boats into islands destroyed by Hurricane Ian to ransack evacuated homes, DeSantis warned.
Law enforcement is monitoring the potential for burglaries.
Hurricane Ian has reached a grim new landmark with 28 deaths resulting from it.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno of heavily hit Lee County confirmed 16 storm-related deaths on Friday.
“Our hearts go out to friends & family who lost their loved one in this tragic storm. We are here for you & we will get though this together," he wrote on Twitter.
Charlotte County Commissioner Christopher Constance confirmed to MSNBC seven deaths related to the storm.
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Residents navigate through Hurricane Ian flood waters in North Port, Florida, Friday.James Keivom for New York Post
Maria Sullivan transports her dog Jetta as her brother Juan Paez transports Bella on a flooded street in North Port. James Keivom for New York Post
There have been 28 confirmed deaths from Ian in Florida. James Keivom for New York Post
Sarasota County has reported two hurricane-related deaths, and one death each has been reported in Osceola, Volusia and Polk Counties, according to officials.
Sheriff Marceno also confirmed approximately 40 people were taken off Sanibel Island, which has been cut off from the mainland after a road bridge collapsed on Thursday. He added that 12 of them had been injured and all were evacuated by boat.
Officials working on rescue attempts have said the death toll is likely to rise as they discover the true extent of the hurricane’s damage
A pedestrian walks through driving rain from Hurricane Ian in Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday. Scott Olson/Getty Images
A walker braves the downpour in Charleston on Friday. Scott Olson/Getty Images
More than 300,000 people lost power on Friday as Hurricane Ian pushes its way north after making landfall for the third time near Georgetown, South Carolina, this afternoon.
Over 211,000 customers in South Carolina are currently without power, 82,000 in North Carolina and outages have even reached further North in Virginia, where 11,000 homes were reportedly without electricity, according to poweroutage.us
They join approximately 1.7m in Florida who are also waiting to regain power after it had been knocked out by the powerful hurricane when it passed through the state on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ian has dropped from a hurricane to a post-tropical cyclone as it moved across South Carolina.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Ian, which carved a swath of destruction across Florida earlier this week, had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) Friday afternoon.
Ian hit Florida’s Gulf Coast as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph (240 kph) winds Wednesday, flooding homes and leaving nearly 2.7 million people without power.
Hurricane Ian made landfall near Georgetown, South Carolina, as a Category 1 storm, officials confirmed.
Update: Surface observations indicate that the center of #Hurricane#Ian made landfall on Sep 30 at 205 pm EDT (1805 UTC) near Georgetown, South Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and an
estimated minimum central pressure of 977 mb (28.85 inches). pic.twitter.com/TNk43VBHUG
The National Hurricane Center reported that the storm came ashore at 2:05 p.m. ET Friday with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and an estimated minimum central pressure of 977 mb.