Florida May See “A 500-Year Flood Event”

Across Florida, people were trapped in flooded homes, waiting for rescue teams to arrive. Parts of the Sanibel Causeway were obliterated by the storm, cutting off the Sanibel and Captiva barrier islands from the mainland.

But officials warned that the entire state is still at risk, even in areas where Ian did not make landfall.

“I want to emphasize the storm still poses a major threat to the state, including central Florida right now and northeast Florida,” Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said at a press conference Thursday morning.

DeSantis said the storm has “broad impacts across the state,” causing flooding in areas “hundreds of miles” from landfall.

“Right now if you look in central Florida, you’re looking at potential major flooding in Orange and Seminole counties, St. Johns River, all the way up potentially into northeast Florida into Jacksonville,” he said. “The amount of water that’s been rising and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flood event.”

Hospitals and medical facilities in several counties evacuated patients after being hit by Ian, the Associated Press reported.

Videos on social media show severe flooding and widespread damage across the state, with entire neighborhoods leveled.