Hurricane Ian Slams United States

Ian’s Journey

A Powerful Storm. Over the past week, Hurricane Ian wreaked havoc across the Caribbean and the Southeast United States. It is one of the strongest storms ever to hit the U.S., bringing massive storm surges and powerful winds and knocking out power grids throughout the region. Shortly before landing in Southwest Florida on Wednesday, Ian strengthened to a Category 4 and fell just shy of becoming a Category 5 — an incredibly rare status. It peaked at 155 miles per hour winds — just two miles per hour short of the highest classification. Meteorologists use the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale to rate a hurricane’s strength from one to five. This categorization helps determine storms’ severity and potential impact.

Northbound. While Ian weakened somewhat as it traveled across the state, it eventually emerged in the Atlantic Ocean, regaining strength as it moved up the Eastern Seaboard. It made landfall for a second time on Friday, hitting South Carolina. Again, the storm lost some power as it traveled across the state but still left immense damage in its wake. Ian moved upward into North Carolina, bringing heavy rainfall and some flash flooding. The storm even caused severe thunderstorms as far north as Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Across the Southeast, Ian left millions of homes without power.

Damage

Rising Death Toll. On Thursday afternoon, President Biden said Ian “could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history.” Dozens are dead across the impacted areas, and the death toll has steadily increased as more regions become available to search-and-rescue teams. Much of the current death toll is in Lee County, Florida, which absorbed a heavy blow from the hurricane. Additionally, officials at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) have warned that the death toll will likely rise due to “indirect deaths” in Ian’s aftermath. These primarily come from excessive heat, over-exertion, and carbon monoxide poisoning from running generators indoors.

The New York Times

An Expensive Storm. While the scale of its destruction remains unclear, many believe it could also be one of the costliest hurricanes in history. Experts anticipate Ian has caused tens of billions of dollars in damage. Storm surges reached as high as 12 feet in some parts of Florida, and even non-coastal cities like Orlando saw record rainfall. Areas like Fort Myers and Sanibel Island — both in Lee County — suffered immense damage, with many buildings entirely swept away by the storm. Additionally, analysts believe the vast majority of those under evacuation orders did not have flood insurance, leaving many with a massive financial burden of rebuilding their homes or recovering their losses.

Recovery Efforts

States Mobilize. The Governors of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia declared states of emergency in response to the hurricane. With presidential approval, the measures allow affected states access to federal resources for disaster relief. According to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), roughly 3,000 federal responders are assisting with recovery efforts throughout impacted states, with over half of them in Florida alone. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that search-and-rescue operations have been ongoing since early Thursday morning.

Yahoo

Federal Action. On Thursday, President Biden announced the federal government will provide individual assistance of up to $37,900 for home repairs and another $37,900 for lost property. The next day, he signed a bill that finances the government through mid-December and includes a measure that will provide billions of extra dollars in disaster assistance — although the funding is not only for Hurricane Ian. Still, the legislation should free up an additional $15 billion in FEMA’s relief aid budget. The President will visit Florida on Wednesday to assess the damage.

CNN

Bipartisan Cooperation. While the Biden administration and Governor DeSantis have feuded frequently in recent months, they appear to have set aside their partisan differences in response to the storm. The pair have spoken several times on the phone regarding Ian, and the Governor has praised the federal response. Other Florida officials have echoed that sentiment, including Senator Marco Rubio, who called the administration’s efforts an “extraordinary mobilization” of its resources for recovery efforts.

Discussion Questions

1. Is wind speed the best way to judge the severity of hurricanes? Should we use another measurement, such as deaths caused or direct cost? Explain your view.
2. How might the state and federal government help avoid a high amount of “indirect deaths” resulting from Hurricane Ian? 
3. Why do you think such a small percentage of residents have flood insurance? 
4. Is it a good idea for President Biden to visit Florida in response to Hurricane Ian? Why or why not? 
5. Why do you think the response to this hurricane has been so bipartisan?

Classroom Content

Reuters

Factbox: The worst hurricanes in Florida’s history as Ian takes aim

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• 8/28/2022

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