Ian One Of Top 5 Worst Storms, 21 Deaths With More Likely, 2 Burned In Generator Explosion

Updated at 2: 15 p.m.

FLORIDA — Hurricane Ian has caused at least 25 deaths in Florida, a state official said Friday, as emergency crews continue to search demolished homes and buildings in hard-hit Lee and Charlotte counties, where many residents were trapped by storm surge. And, hurricane experts predict above-normal storm activity for the next two weeks in the Atlantic.

Two days after what is now ranked as one of the top five worst hurricanes ever hit the state, power restoration continues and the number of outages dipped under 2 million; a sheriff warned residents to be extra wary of snakes and alligators displaced by flooding; two men working on a generator at a home without electricity were seriously hurt when it exploded; and businesses in the Tampa-St. Pete region begin to reopen.

Stay up-to-date by viewing all Hurricane Ian coverage on Patch here.

The storm caused at least 25 deaths across the state, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Friday. CNN said the death toll includes 12 in Charlotte County, eight in Collier County, two in Volusia County, one in Polk County and two in unincorporated Sarasota County, according to officials. Unconfirmed death cases are being processed by local medical examiners, who decide whether they are disaster-related.

But more storm-related deaths are expected in Lee County, along with people who died in vehicles in Lake and Putnam County and a Volusia County man who died when trying to drain his pool, Guthrie said.

President Joe Biden noted at a press briefing Friday afternoon that 44,000 utility workers from 33 states and the District of Columbia are working to get power back on to more than 1.8 million Florida residents still in the dark.

While the number is down from nearly 3.5 million, many Floridians are still relying on generators and wondering when utility companies will restore power to their homes. Florida Power & Light is prioritizing power restoration to places that provide critical services such as 911 centers and hospitals. The company expects to provide estimated times of restoration by Friday evening.

Meanwhile, Duke Energy, which serves 1.9 million customers in the state, said in a tweet that "a majority of customers that can be restored will be restored by Sunday at 11:59 p.m."

Biden told Floridians that the entire country will help the state recover.

"This is an American crisis. In times like these, Americans come together," the president said. "We put aside politics, we put aside division."

• Related: Hurricane Ian: When Will Power Come Back On In Florida?

Two men were injured in a Pinellas Park generator explosion late Thursday night in a neighborhood without electricity, authorities said. Operations Chief Robert Angell with the Pinellas Park Fire Department told Patch the generator exploded, burning both men.

One of the men was so severely burned that he was trauma alerted to Tampa General Hospital for treatment by its burn unit, according to Angell.

Biden has promised to visit Florida and said the storm could be “the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history” based on early reports of “what may be substantial loss of life.”

Ian will go down as one of the strongest storms in U.S. history, reaching the upper limits of Category 4 status with sustained winds of 155 mph, just 2 mph under Category 5 strength. Ian tied with 2004′s Charley and a 1919 Keys hurricane as Florida’s fourth-strongest direct strike on record, according to Colorado State University meteorologist and hurricane expert Philip Klotzbach. The only hurricanes to top Ian included: Michael in 2018, Andrew in 1992 and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.

The experts at Colorado State issued a short-term forecast for the next two weeks of thehurricane season, and they believe that period has the highest probability of above-normal activity.

DeSantis said Thursday night that state officials “absolutely expect to have mortality” from the storm.

As rescue crews in several counties searched homes for people trapped in damaged structures, more than 40,000 utility workers are working to restore power. There were 1,839,246 Florida homes and businesses without power Friday, according to PowerOutage.US.

Floridians should be on the lookout for an increase in gators, snakes, and other creatures in their ponds, sheds, or backyards following Hurricane Ian, according to one law enforcement official.

The DeSoto County Sheriff's Office shared a post on Twitter on Thursday, reminding residents that when water levels rise, reptiles tend to roam.

"DCSO reminds the community that wildlife may become more visible during and after a storm," the sheriff's office posted. "Please be aware of an extra gator in your pond, snake in your shed, or deer in your pasture."

By Friday, Ian was again a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph winds located about 60 miles east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.

Related:

• New Flooding In North Port A Concern After Ian, Shelter Opens: City
• Generator Explosion Injures 2 In Pinellas Park: Fire Department
• FL Gator, Snake Sightings May Spike Post-Hurricane Ian: Sheriff
• Hurricane Ian: Scenes From St. Petersburg After The Storm
• These Are Florida's Deadliest, Most Expensive Hurricanes

Biden signed federal disaster declarations that allow the federal government to pay all costs to clear debris and what the state must do to rebuild public buildings like schools and fire stations. Federal money will pay Floridians affected by the storm $37,900 for home repair and another $37,900 for lost property from cars to personal items, Biden said.

The Florida Disaster Fund is accepting donations for communities as they recover from the disaster. To contribute, visit www.FloridaDisasterFund.org or text DISASTER to 20222.

And those who want to volunteer to help with storm cleanup should sign up at www.volunteerFlorida.org.

Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast

This increased tropical storm activity in the Atlantic comes after a relatively inactive August. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, and September through November are typically the most active months.

Forecasters at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center predicted an active hurricane center earlier this year. Forecasters said the ongoing La Niña, in addition to above-average ocean temperatures, signals a 65 percent chance the 2022 hurricane season will be above normal.

They predicted 14 to 21 named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. Of those, anywhere from six to 10 of the storms could become hurricanes, with winds of 74 mph or higher.

Forecasters predicted this year's season will spawn anywhere from three to six major hurricanes rated a category 3 or higher during the season's most active months — September to November.