Florida death toll from Hurricane Ian now 44 as flooding continues from Lee to Volusia County
TAMPA, Fla. - The state of Florida's death toll attributed to Hurricane Ian rose to 44 Saturday night as floodwaters continued to rise in low-lying areas.
MORE: Tampa officers, firefighters in North Port Saturday for rescue efforts
Lee County, one of the hardest-hit by the massive Category 4 storm, reported 30 deaths as of Saturday night. Collier County, one county south of Lee, three deaths had been attributed to Ian.
Homes in North Port were surrounded by water after Hurricane Ian
The county north of Lee County, Charlotte, had not yet made its death toll publicly known.
In Sarasota County, where Myakkahatchee Creek and the Myakka River rose and trapped residents in their homes, three deaths had been reported. Manatee, Hendry, and Lake counties each attributed one death to Hurricane Ian.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 01: Dan Beazley rolls a cross through an area where homes were destroyed when Hurricane Ian passed through the area on October 1, 2022 in Fort Myers, Florida. Mr. Beazley said he brought the cross with him to help hurric
Meanwhile, in Volusia County, on Florida's northeast coast, Volusia County reported five deaths.
How to help: Tampa Bay groups sending aid to Southwest Florida
After making landfall near Lee and Charlotte counties Wednesday, Hurricane Ian moved northeast across the state, dumping rain all the way up to Jacksonville. Flooding followed, with rescues still underway into Saturday night.