Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the US, roared ashore in southwest Florida on Wednesday, turning roads into rivers as it knocked out power to 1.8 million people. Damaged waves hit the southwest coast from Englewood to Bonita Beach, including Charlotte Harbor, near the town of Punta Gorda, north of Fort Myers. As Ian churns across Florida over the next 24 hours, it is expected to drop 12 -18 inches of rain over coastal surges. The Coastal Sheriff’s Office reported receiving calls from people trapped in flooded homes. Several took to social media, sharing videos of debris-covered water heading towards their homes as they pleaded for rescue. Storm surge flooded a lower-level emergency room in Port Charlotte, while part of the roof of a fourth-floor intensive care unit was blown off by strong winds, according to a doctor who works there. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged Floridians to brace themselves, noting it would be a “bad” two days.

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People trapped, hospital damaged after Ian swamps south Florida

Hurricane Ian left a path of destruction in southwest Florida, trapping people in flooded homes, destroying the roof of a hospital intensive care unit and cutting power to two million people before targeting the Atlantic coast. One of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit the United States crossed the Florida peninsula overnight Wednesday, threatening catastrophic flooding inland, the National Hurricane Center warned. In Port Charlotte, along Florida’s Gulf Coast, storm surge flooded a lower-level emergency room at a hospital, even as strong winds tore part of the roof off the intensive care unit, according to a doctor who works there. Water poured into the ICU, forcing staff to evacuate the hospital’s sickest patients — some of whom were on ventilators — to other floors, said Dr. Birgitte Bodin of HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital. Staff members used towels and plastic buckets to try to clean up the dirty mess.

People trapped, hospital damaged after Ian swamps SW Florida

Hurricane Ian has left a path of destruction in southwest Florida, trapping people in flooded homes, destroying the roof of a hospital intensive care unit and cutting power to 2 million people Namita Singh29 September 2022 06:40 1664428806

Lara Trump sparks outrage after sharing video of son driving car outside during Hurricane Ian

Lara Trump has sparked outrage and concern after posting a video of her five-year-old son driving his car outside amid heavy rain from Hurricane Ian. The 39-year-old TV producer, who lives in Florida with her husband Eric Trump, shared the video on Instagram on Wednesday with the couple’s son Eric Luke Trump. Trump and his wife also have a three-year-old daughter, Carolina Dorothy Trump. In the video, Trump’s son, who goes by the name Luke, can be seen driving his car in the middle of the road as rain from the category four storm fell. As he drove the vehicle, he held one hand over his eyes in an attempt to shield his face from the rain. My colleague Amber Raiken reports:

Lara Trump sparks outrage after sharing video of son outside during Hurricane Ian

“It’s a terrible idea for an adult to be outside during this powerful storm, let alone small children,” says one viewer Namita Singh29 September 2022 06:20 1664427924

Hurricane Ian: Catfish swims in road as devastating flooding hits Florida

ICYMI: A catfish swam across a water-covered road as Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, September 28. The storm made landfall as a Category 4, just short of a monster Category 5, with winds of 155 miles per hour.

Hurricane Ian: Catfish swims in road as devastating flooding hits Florida

A catfish swam across a water-covered road as Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, September 28. The storm made landfall as a Category 4, just short of a monster Category 5, with winds of 155 mph. Ian’s eyewall brought wild gusts and overflowing ocean waters to the state’s coast as residents were told there was no more time to evacuate and instead urged to shelter in place. “It’s going to be an ugly two days,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said. Click here to sign up to our newsletters. Graeme Massie29 September 2022 06:05 1664426524

News media comes under fire for videos of reporters covering Hurricane Ian

Several news organizations were criticized on social media Wednesday for sending reporters to report in the path of Hurricane Ian. In one such case, Fox Weather team member Robert Ray struggled to make it through a live report in high winds and rain in Fort Myers. “It’s really coming in right now, Neil, and it’s hard to even talk, and I’m sorry… as we understand Ian’s rage coming into Fort Myers, and we can hear the sounds in the distance — pops, snaps — we have to be careful, things are getting dangerous here,” Ray said. Some observers questioned Ray’s safety. My colleague Abe Asher reports:

News outlets under fire for videos of reporters covering Hurricane Ian

Observers criticize news organizations for sending reporters into dangerous situations Namita Singh29 September 2022 05:42 1664425318

Ian drenches southwest Florida, trapping people in homes

Hurricane Ian lashed the Florida coast with winds of 150 mph (241 km/h), trapping several people in their homes as roads turned into rivers. More than 1.8 million homes and businesses in Florida were without power, and nearly every home and business in three counties was without power. Mark Pritchett stepped outside his home in Venice as the hurricane came ashore from the Gulf of Mexico, about 35 miles to the south. He called it “terrifying.” “I literally couldn’t stand against the wind,” Mr Pritchett wrote in a text message. “The rain is falling like needles. My road is a river. Limbs and trees below. And the worst is yet to come.” Read more in this report:

Ian drenches southwest Florida, trapping people in homes

Hurricane Ian, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the US, has lashed southwest Florida, flooding roads and buildings, knocking out power to 1.8 million people and threatening catastrophic damage further inland Namita Singh29 September 2022 05:21 1664424444

NOAA administrator dodges question linking Hurricane Ian to climate crisis

ICYMI: As Ian neared the US, Jamie Rohme, the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center, raised some eyebrows Tuesday when he appeared to play down the storm’s connection to the climate crisis during an interview with CNN. Josh Marcus has the story.

Don Lemon reprimanded for turning NOAA Hurricane Ian interview into climate crisis discussion

The scientific consensus says that the climate crisis will worsen extreme weather events Graeme Massie29 September 2022 05:07 1664420664

ICYMI: Downed power line catches fire in Naples as Hurricane Ian rages

Downed power line catches fire in Naples as Hurricane Ian rages Graeme Massie29 September 2022 04:04 1664416884

Hurricane Ian: Roofs destroyed as eye of storm descends

Hurricane Ian: Roofs destroyed as eye of storm descends Graeme Massie29 September 2022 03:01 1664413644

TikTokers livestream devastation as Category 4 storm hits Florida

ICYMI: Citizen weather journalists share their daring clips from Hurricane Ian on TikTok, touching millions of viewers. Bevan Hurley has the story.

TikToks show devastation as Category 4 Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida

Citizen weather journalists share their daring clips from Hurricane Ian on TikTok, touching millions of viewers Graeme Massie29 September 2022 02:07 1664409992

Ian brings ‘catastrophic storm’ to Florida

According to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center at 8 p.m. ET, “Ian continues to batter Florida peninsula with damaging storm surge, winds and flooding.” Graeme Massie29 September 2022 01:06