Hurricane Ian aftermath: Death toll rises in Florida

According to AP, Hurricane Ian caused flooding records of as high as 12 feet in certain areas and severe winds that left at least seven people dead.

The big picture On Friday morning, more than 1.9 million customers in Florida were without power. This was as the state began to search for and rescue them and begin recovery efforts.

• Two people were killed in a car accident in Putnam County on Thursday afternoon. The county was inundated by rain as the storm passed through the state.
• Sanibel, an island located in southwest Florida, was hit by major surge-related flooding. At least two people were killed.
• According to AP, a person in Lake County was killed Wednesday when his vehicle hydroplaned. A second person was discovered dead in Deltona, central Florida, on Wednesday.

The latest: On Thursday night, the storm was able to regain hurricane status due to a devastating encounter with the Carolinas as well as a small portion of southern Georgia.

• As of 11am ET, the storm was located 60 miles east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, and 120 miles south-southwest of Cape Fear, North Carolina, though it was moving north at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, the NHC said.
• It is expected to make a second landfall Friday afternoon in South Carolina. This will bring with it heavy winds, severe storm surge, and strong winds along the coasts and Georgia, Northeast Florida, and the Carolinas.

What they're claiming: President Biden stated at a briefing Thursday afternoon that this could be the most deadly hurricane in Florida's recent history, and added that "early reports are suggesting substantial loss of life."

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that "we absolutely expect to have death from this hurricane." Ron DeSantis stated this in a news conference on Thursday.
• DeSantis stated that there had been more than 700 rescues as of Thursday night.
• The National Hurricane Center tracked the deaths of approximately 350 to 1,800 people during some of the most deadly hurricanes in Florida in the first half century.

NHC officials warned Thursday night about the possibility of hurricane-related deaths days after the storm passes, while people are still recovering.

• These deaths are also known as "indirect deaths" and result primarily from over-exertion, excessive heat, and carbon monoxide poisoning due to running generators indoors.

Ian made landfall on Wednesday as an "extremely hazardous" hurricane with maximum sustained winds exceeding 150 miles an hour along Florida's southwest coast. It was located near Cayo Costa, an Island to the west and Cape Coral.

• The storm then moved north-northeast, making landfall on Florida's mainland with maximum sustained winds at 145 mph. It was located just south of Punta Gorda.

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This story has been updated to include additional reporting.