TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida officials on Friday gave a glimpse into the death toll following Hurricane Ian: 20 unconfirmed deaths, 1 confirmed fatality and an unknown number of drownings in one house.
Kevin Guthrie, Florida’s emergency management director, explained during a morning press briefing in Tallahassee that the state is trying to verify whether 20 of the deaths were as a result of the storm, or unrelated causes.
But the number could soon tick up. Guthrie said search and rescue efforts continue and that at least one undisclosed location in Lee County, there is an unknown number of apparent drowning victims. Sanibel and Captiva islands, which Ian cut off from the mainland, are in that county.
