Heard of Hurricane Ian and its recent destruction? Here’s what you should know.

Hurricane Ian is a deadly Category 4 Atlantic storm that caused widespread damage across western Cuba and the southeast US, Florida & South Carolina. It hit Florida on the 28th of September and South Carolina on September 30th of 2022. 

September is the peak of hurricane season, spurred by temperatures in the Gulf are warmer than any other time of the year. Warm ocean waters in the Gulf of Mexico fueled Hurricane Ian, pulling a lot of energy from the ocean which sustained it for longer.

On September 30th, President Joe Biden said that “We’re just beginning to see the scale of that destruction. It’s likely to rank among the worst … in the nation’s history.” The aftermath of this storm was almost as bad as the storm itself, and is the deadliest storm in state since 1935, the Labor Day Hurricane.

One week after Hurricane Ian made landfall, Florida officials reported more than 100 storm-related deaths across 10 countries. Roadways flooded, power went out, & homes fell. Most deaths from the hurricane were a result of drowning, but some have been caused by the power outages & oxygen machines shutting off. 

Hurricane Ian will also go down as one of the costliest storms in US history. The estimated cost ranges from $66 billion to $71 billion dollars. It demolished homes, businesses, roads & bridges along with citrus fruit trees which make up a key industry in the state of Florida.