Hurricane Ian emerged from a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea, where it was first designated as tropical depression 9L on September 23. A day later, it was named Tropical Storm Ian as it began to organize and intensify, becoming a hurricane two days later. The storm’s September 27 landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane wiped out power to the entire island and caused significant damage to banana and tobacco farms. Tens of thousands of structures in Pinar Del Rio, a province in western Cuba where the worst of Ian passed through, suffered some degree of damage, and some were completely destroyed. The destruction left many Cubans homeless and forced them to seek shelter in community centers. Near the coast, storm surge inundation threatened the lives of many who decided against evacuating. Ian’s death toll in Cuba has reached 5 people so far. In Florida, Ian’s powerful winds, which reached 150 mph at landfall on Cayo Costa Island on September 28, brought severe storm surge flooding from Fort Myers to Naples, with initial estimates reaching around a maximum of 15 feet of inundation in some places—just about the height of our BIFU campus. Numerous houses and public spaces were damaged and destroyed as a result of Ian’s storm surge flooding, heavy rains, and violent winds. Trees were downed, boats were carried miles inland by water, power outages were widespread throughout the region, and powerful winds threw debris everywhere. Mobile homes and trailers were completely leveled. The Sanibel Island Causeway, a bridge connecting Fort Myers to nearby Sanibel Island, was completely destroyed as well. Nearly 2 feet of rain accumulated in some areas of the state over the course of two days.. Ian also spawned multiple tornadoes across the state, causing further structural damage. In Florida alone, over 100 people, mostly elderly residents, have perished as a result of Ian. Ian tracked across Florida and re-emerged in the Atlantic, where it strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph winds. Ian then brought heavy rainfall, storm surge, and strong winds to South Carolina as it made landfall. Although nowhere as destructive as the events in Florida, Ian still tore down trees and caused flooding in portions of the region. The storm destroyed some piers on the Atlantic coast, and storm surge inundation was reported to be a maximum of nearly 7 feet. At least 6 people have died in the Mid-Atlantic states.
The storm was a nationwide crisis that has impacted Americans in a variety of ways. You may know individuals who have been directly or indirectly impacted by the storm. Some victims have also made the decision to relocate from Florida to the Bay Area. Volunteers from the American Red Cross in the Bay have already arrived in the impacted areas and are helping with rescue and medical efforts. Although you yourself will (probably) not be able to help in Florida, you and your family could donate at https://tinyurl.com/4sx4e542. Not only the Red Cross is helping with the recovery efforts. Other organizations like the ones listed below are helping with things such as medical care, food, household items, and basic necessities (A * indicates that a donation can also be made to support victims of Hurricane Fiona, which devastated Puerto Rico as a Category 1 hurricane earlier in September.): Team Rubicon , Florida Disaster Fund, Global Giving*, Good360*, Center for Disaster Philanthropy*, Global Empowerment Mission*
Recovery from this storm will take a very long time, yet the resilience of Floridians will prevail yet again, making their communities stronger than ever and better prepared for the next time a hurricane strikes.