Summary

  • Hurricane Ian made landfall for a second time in the US after devastating Florida - hitting South Carolina's coast

  • Forecasters predicted a storm surge and floods, with the historic city of Charleston likely to feel the brunt of the storm

  • It was downgraded from a category one hurricane to a post-tropical cyclone, and was expected to weaken further overnight

  • President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for the state, meaning recovery funds can be sent more quickly once the hurricane passes

  • Ian first made landfall in Florida on Wednesday near the city of Fort Myers and brought flooding, high winds and storm surges 

  • At least 21 people may have died in the state, officials say, but exact casualty figures are still being determined

  • More than 2.6 million Florida homes and businesses have no electricity and some areas have been left submerged

Live Reporting

Edited by Jude Sheerin

  1. How big is the hurricane?

    The path of Hurricane Ian, projected by the US National Hurricane Centre, engulfs a large part of mid-to-northern Florida, from Cape Coral all the way to Jacksonville, though not all areas will feel it with the same intensity.

    It is expected to make landfall on Florida's western coast in the afternoon local time, between Port Charlotte and Sarasota.

    At the moment, Ian appears to be just shy of a Category 5 hurricane, and there is fear it may strengthen as it reaches Florida’s coast.

    As it makes its way up, Ian will eventually hit Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, but it will be much weaker by then, downgrading to a tropical storm.

    Ian has already hit Cuba on its way to Florida. There, it forced the evacuation of more than 19,000 people in Pinar del Rio, a western province in Cuba.

    Map showing Ian's path.

    Hurricane Ian's projected path as of Wednesday morning

  2. In pictures: Florida prepares for Ian

    City workers and volunteers deliver UP sand bags in the city of St Petersburg, on Florida's gulf coastGetty Images

    City workers and volunteers deliver sand bags in the city of St. Petersburg, on Florida's Gulf Coast

    Frederic and Mary Herodet board up their restaurant on St Petersburg BeachGetty Images

    Frederic and Mary Herodet board up their restaurant on St. Petersburg Beach

    Traffic moves slowly on the I-4 highway as Tampa Bay residents evacuateGetty Images

    Traffic moves slowly on the Interstate 4 highway as Tampa Bay residents evacuate

    Two men work to restore a damaged tobacco warehouse in Pinar del Rio, CubaGetty Images

    And back in Pinar del Rio in Cuba, in the wake of the hurricane, two men work to restore a damaged tobacco warehouse

  3. The latest on Hurricane Ian

    Florida resident Barbara Schueler fills sandbags in a vacant lot in preparation for the stormGetty Images

    Florida resident Barbara Schueler fills sandbags in a vacant lot in preparation for the storm

    • As of 07:00 local time (12:00 GMT), Ian was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane
    • It had maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (249 kmh), making it just short of a Category 5 hurricane - the most devastating level
    • Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis has warned residents along the state's western coast there could be catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surges
    • Some areas in Florida's Key West have already experienced severe flooding as the storm passed through Tuesday night
    • Around 145,600 people in Florida are currently without power
    • Millions of Floridians along the coast are under evacuation orders
    • Ian has already devastated Cuba, where two people were killed from the storm and the entire island was left without power

  4. Welcome to our live coverage

    Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Hurricane Ian as it heads towards the US state of Florida.

    The impact of this hurricane is anticipated to be historic. Some parts of the state have not seen a hurricane of this magnitude in about a century.

    Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis has already declared a state of emergency and has called up 5,000 National Guard troops to help out.

    Ian is expected to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast this afternoon local time.

    Stay with us for the latest updates.