The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol announced Tuesday that it had postponed a hearing scheduled for Wednesday as a hurricane hurtled toward the Florida coast.

Related video above: Footage of Trump recording an address to the nation a day after Capitol attack shown at last Jan. 6 committee hearing

The committee had planned to hold what was likely to be its final investigative hearing Wednesday afternoon, but members decided at the last minute to delay it as it became clear that Hurricane Ian was churning on a collision course toward Florida, where it was expected to strengthen into a catastrophic Category 4 storm.

“We’re praying for the safety of all those in the storm’s path," committee chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and vice chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. "The Select Committee’s investigation goes forward and we will soon announce a date for the postponed proceedings.”

The committee had not yet provided a specific agenda for the Wednesday hearing, but Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said over the weekend it would “tell the story about a key element of Donald Trump’s plot to overturn the election.”

This week's hearing was intended to close the series of public hearings the nine-member panel embarked on in early June. Throughout eight hearings, the committee — comprised of seven Democrats and two Republicans — sought to show the American public in great detail how former President Trump ignored many of his closest advisers and amplified his false claims of election fraud after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.

Some of the more than 1,000 witnesses interviewed by the panel — a number of them Trump’s closest allies — recounted in videotaped testimony how the former president declined to act when hundreds of his supporters violently attacked the Capitol as Congress certified Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021. But the committee has said its work isn't done.

During the August recess, congressional investigators continued to interview witnesses, including several of Trump's cabinet members, some of whom had discussed invoking the constitutional process in the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office after the insurrection.

Cheney had previously said the committee “has far more evidence to share with the American people and more to gather.”

There are also many questions surrounding the effort to overturn the election that remain unanswered as the committee goes into its final three months of work.

Panel members still want to get to the bottom of missing Secret Service texts from Jan. 5-6, 2021, which could shed further light on Trump’s actions during the insurrection, particularly after earlier testimony about his confrontation with security as he tried to join supporters at the Capitol. Thompson said earlier this month that the committee has recently obtained “thousands” of documents from the Secret Service.

Last week, the committee was able to secure an interview with conservative activist Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, who’s married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Lawmakers want to know more about her role in trying to help Trump overturn the election. She contacted lawmakers in Arizona and Wisconsin as part of that effort.

And the last, but possibly most consequential decision left on the committee's plate is how aggressively to pursue testimony from Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence.

The panel will have to wrap up these loose ends by the end of the year, when the select committee status expires. If Republicans take the majority in November’s elections, as they are favored to do, they are expected to dissolve the committee in January. So the panel is planning to issue a final report by the end of December that will include legislative reforms to help prevent future attempts to subvert democracy.

MIAMI, Fla. — With Hurricane Ian set to strike Tampa Bay sometime this week, the Buccaneers announced they are temporarily relocating to Miami.

On Monday, the team said on Twitter that they would be moving to Miami-Dade County Tuesday and then spend the week practicing at the Dolphins' facility.

"No changes have yet been made to Sunday's game schedule," the team added.

According to ESPN, the league is monitoring the situation, but for right now the Bucs are still planning to host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

If the game has to be postponed because of the storm, it's unlikely the game will be moved to Miami because the league doesn't want to take away state resources for a game that could be better utilized for recovery efforts, ESPN reported.

A hurricane warning was issued for the area Monday, with the National Hurricane Center projecting the hurricane to make landfall by Wednesday as a Category 4 storm, the Associated Press reported.

The last time a major storm hit the city was Oct. 25, 1921.

The team also announced Tuesday that they are rescheduling the induction of former head coach Bruce Arians into the Ring of Honor, which was supposed to happen on Sunday.

The team said that ceremony would be rescheduled for a later game.

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban officials said they had begun to restore some power Wednesday after Hurricane Ian knocked out electricity to the entire island while devastating some of the country’s most important tobacco farms when it hit the island’s western tip as a major storm.

At least two people were reported killed.

The Energy and Mines Ministry announced it had restored energy to three regions by activating two large power plants in Felton and Nuevitas and was working on getting others back online.

Lights started to flicker on in the capital, Havana. Still, much of the city and other parts of western Cuba remained without power on Wednesday in the wake of the major hurricane, which had advanced northward to Florida. It was the first time in memory — perhaps ever — that the whole island had lost power.

On Tuesday, Ian hit Cuba, which has been struggling with an economic crisis and has faced frequent power outages in recent months. It made landfall as a Category 3 storm on the island’s western end, devastating Pinar del Río province, where much of the tobacco used for Cuba’s iconic cigars is grown.

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated, and others fled the area ahead of the arrival of Ian, which caused flooding, damaged houses and toppled trees. State media reported two deaths in the province: a woman killed by a falling wall and another by a collapsed roof.

Ian’s winds damaged one of Cuba’s most prestigious tobacco farms, Finca Robaina.

“It was apocalyptic, a real disaster,” said Hirochi Robaina, owner of the farm that bears his name and that his grandfather made known internationally.

Robaina posted photos on social media of wood-and-thatch roofs smashed to the ground, greenhouses in rubble and wagons overturned.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel visited the affected region, telling the population, “Although the first impact is very painful, there's nothing to do but overcome the adversity.”

“Being in the hurricane was terrible for me, but we are here alive,” said Pinar del Rio resident Yusimí Palacios, who asked authorities for a roof and a mattress.

Officials had set up 55 shelters and took steps to protect crops, especially tobacco.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Cuba suffered “significant wind and storm surge impacts” when the hurricane struck with top sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph).

Ian was even stronger Wednesday as it approached the coast of Florida with top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), threatening to cause catastrophic damage there.

In Cuba, local government station TelePinar reported heavy damage at the main hospital in Pinar del Rio city, tweeting photos of collapsed ceilings and downed trees. No deaths were reported.

Videos on social media showed downed power lines and cut-off roads in the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa and Mayabeque. A hospital in Pinar del Río was damaged.

“The town is flooded,” said farmer Andy Muñoz, 37, who lives in Playa Cajío in Artemisa.

He said many people lost their belongings due to the storm surge.

“I spent the hurricane at home with my husband and the dog. The masonry and zinc roof of the house had just been installed. But the storm tore it down,” said Mercedes Valdés, who lives along the highway connecting Pinar del Río to San Juan y Martínez. “We couldn’t rescue our things ... we just ran out.”

___

AP journalist Osvaldo Angulo in Pinar del Rio contributed to this report.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwestern Florida near Cayo Costa as a massive Category 4 storm on Wednesday afternoon, lashing the state with heavy rain and pushing a devastating storm surge. Here's the latest on Hurricane Ian:Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwestern Florida near Cayo Costa around 3:05 p.m. ET WednesdayIan weakened to a tropical storm ThursdayIan is moving northeast at 8 mph Nearly 2.5 million homes and businesses were without electricity, and Florida Power and Light warned those in Ian’s path to brace for days without power. Florida has requested a federal Major Disaster Declaration for all 67 of the state's counties.Hurricane Ian knocked out Cuba's power grid and work is underway to restore service to the country’s 11 million peopleWatch live video coverage above from sister station WESH in Orlando. See live video from other parts of Florida below.Latest hurricane cone and satellite imageSee live streaming video of Ian's latest location and cone in the video player above.Sunshine Skyway Bridge Live storm coverage is also available for free on your connected TV from Very Local. Download the app here

After leaving a path of destruction across Florida, Tropical Storm Ian has again intensified into a hurricane Thursday afternoon as it heads toward Georgia and the Carolinas.

Here's the latest on Tropical Storm Ian:

• Tropical Storm Ian strengthened into a hurricane again around 5 p.m. ET Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
• At 5 p.m. ET, the storm was about 240 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina.
• Authorities confirmed at least one storm death in Florida.
• President Joe Biden said Ian "could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history" and warned, "we're hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life."
• Ian weakened to a tropical storm Thursday after making landfall Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane.
• The storm is expected to reintensify Thursday night before making landfall in South Carolina.
• Roughly 2.67 million homes and businesses were without electricity in Florida

Watch live video coverage above from sister station WESH in Orlando.

Live storm coverage is also available for free on your connected TV from Very Local. Download the app here.

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Ian's impact in Florida

Rescue crews piloted boats and waded through flooded streets Thursday to save thousands of Floridians trapped after Hurricane Ian destroyed homes and businesses and left millions in the dark.

The devastation began to come into focus a day after Ian made landfall in Florida as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit the U.S.

The storm flooded homes on both the state's coasts, cut off the only bridge to a barrier island, destroyed a historic waterfront pier and knocked out electricity to 2.67 million Florida homes and businesses — nearly a quarter of utility customers. At least one man was confirmed dead.

Aerial photos from the Fort Myers area, a few miles west of where Ian struck land, showed homes ripped from their slabs and deposited among shredded wreckage. Businesses near the beach were completely razed, leaving just twisted debris. Broken docks floated at odd angles beside damaged boats, and fires smoldered on lots where houses once stood.

Authorities confirmed at least one storm death in Florida — a 72-year-old man in Deltona who fell into a canal while using a hose to drain his pool in the heavy rain, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

“We’ve never seen storm surge of this magnitude,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told a news conference. “The amount of water that’s been rising, and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flooding event.”

Video: WESH reporter talks about water rescue

The National Hurricane Center said storm surge and flooding rains remained a threat as Ian crept across the Florida peninsula and emerged in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Canaveral.

Sheriffs in southwest Florida said 911 centers were inundated by thousands of stranded callers, some with life-threatening emergencies. The U.S. Coast Guard began rescue efforts hours before daybreak on barrier islands near where Ian struck, DeSantis said. More than 800 members of federal urban search and rescue teams were also in the area.

A chunk of the Sanibel Causeway fell into the sea, cutting off access to the barrier island where 6,300 people normally live. It was unknown how many heeded orders to evacuate, but Charlotte County Emergency Management Director Patrick Fuller expressed cautious optimism that worst-case scenarios might not have been realized.

No deaths or injuries have been confirmed in the county, and flyovers of barrier islands show “the integrity of the homes is far better than we anticipated,” Fuller said.

South of Sanibel, the historic beachfront pier in Naples got destroyed, with even the pilings underneath torn out, as towering waves crashed over the structure. "Right now, there is no pier," said Penny Taylor, a commissioner in Collier County, which includes Naples.

The Florida Highway Patrol shut down the Florida Turnpike in the Orlando area and said the main artery in the middle of the state will remain closed until water subsides.

Video: Florida wakes up to Hurricane Ian destruction

Ian struck Florida as a monstrous Category 4 storm, with 150 mph winds that tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane ever to hit the U.S.

Ian's path

Before reintensifying to a hurricane late Thursday afternoon, Ian dropped to a tropical storm over land as its center moved over the Atlantic Ocean.

At 5 p.m. Thursday, the storm was about 240 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina, carrying maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.

The National Hurricane Center warned storm surge of 6 feet or more was possible from Daytona Beach, Florida, to north of Charleston, South Carolina. Rainfall of up to 8 inches threatened flooding in the Carolinas and Virginia.

A hurricane warning was issued for the South Carolina coast.

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The governors of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia all preemptively declared states of emergency.

Devastation in Cuba

A boat carrying Cuban migrants sank Wednesday in stormy weather east of Key West.

The U.S. Coast Guard initiated a search and rescue mission for 23 people and managed to find three survivors about two miles south of the Florida Keys, officials said. Four other Cubans swam to Stock Island, just east of Key West, the U.S. Border Patrol said. Aircrews continued to search for possibly 20 remaining migrants.

The storm previously tore into Cuba, killing two people and bringing down the country's electrical grid.

Video: Space station flies over Hurricane Ian

A revived Hurricane Ian made landfall on coastal South Carolina on Friday. It's threatening the historic city of Charleston with severe flooding after the deadly storm caused catastrophic damage in Florida and trapped thousands in their homes.

Here's the latest on Hurricane Ian:

• Hurricane Ian made landfall near Georgetown, South Carolina, around 2 p.m. ET Friday as Category 1 storm.
• Nine people were confirmed dead in Florida, but that number is expected to increase.

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Ian hits South Carolina

Hurricane Ian made landfall near Georgetown, South Carolina, around 2 p.m. ET Friday as a Category 1 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its maximum sustained winds remained at 85 mph with higher gusts.

In Charleston earlier in the day, powerful wind gusts bent tree branches and sent sprays of steadily falling rain sideways. Streets in the 350-year-old city were largely empty, an ordinarily packed morning commute silenced by the advancing storm.

Video: Myrtle Beach reports first signs of storm damage as Ian approaches

The hurricane warning stretched from the Savannah River to Cape Fear, with flooding likely across the Carolinas and southwestern Virginia, the center said. The forecast predicted a storm surge of up to 7 feet into coastal areas of the Carolinas, and rainfall of up to 8 inches.

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A hurricane warning was issued for the South Carolina coast and extended to Cape Fear on the southeastern coast of North Carolina. With tropical storm-force winds reaching about 415 miles from its center, the NHC expects a life-threatening storm surge of up to 7 feet and hurricane conditions along the Carolina coast by Friday afternoon. Rainfall of up to 8 inches threatened flooding from South Carolina to Virginia.

Video below: Winds, rain pick up off the coast of Georgia's Tybee Island

Florida's rescue effort

In Florida, rescue crews piloted boats and waded through riverine streets Thursday to save thousands of people trapped amid flooded homes and buildings shattered by Hurricane Ian.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said rescue crews have gone door-to-door to over 3,000 homes in the hardest-hit areas.

"There's really been a Herculean effort," he said Friday during a news conference in Tallahassee.

Video: Florida governor gives update on Ian's damage

Climate change added at least 10% more rain to Hurricane Ian, according to a study prepared immediately after the storm, said its co-author, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab climate scientist Michael Wehner.

Those killed in Florida included a 67-year-old man who was waiting to be rescued and fell into rising water inside his New Smyrna Beach home late Thursday, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said. Patrol vehicles had been unable to reach him because roads were flooded.

Video: WESH reporter talks about water rescue

At least three people were reported killed in Cuba after the hurricane struck there on Tuesday.

In the Fort Myers area, businesses near the beach were completely razed, leaving twisted debris. Broken docks floated at odd angles beside damaged boats. Fires smoldered on lots where houses once stood.

"I don't know how anyone could have survived in there," William Goodison said amid the wreckage of a mobile home park in Fort Myers Beach where he'd lived for 11 years. Goodison said he was alive only because he rode out the storm at his son's house inland.

The hurricane tore through the park of about 60 homes, leaving many destroyed or mangled beyond repair, including Goodison’s single-wide home. Wading through waist-deep water, Goodison and his son wheeled two trash cans containing what little he could salvage — a portable air conditioner, some tools and a baseball bat.

Video: Couple will not put off wedding for Hurricane Ian

The road into Fort Myers was littered with broken trees, boat trailers and other debris. Cars were abandoned in the road, having stalled when the storm surge flooded their engines.

Emergency crews sawed through toppled trees to reach stranded people. Many in the hardest-hit areas were unable to call for help because of electrical and cellular outages.

A chunk of the Sanibel Causeway fell into the sea, cutting off access to the barrier island where 6,300 people live.

Ian's path

Hours after weakening to a tropical storm while crossing the Florida peninsula, Ian regained strength Thursday evening over the Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center predicted it would hit South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane Friday, still much weaker than the Category 4 hurricane it was on Wednesday.

National Guard troops were being positioned in South Carolina to help with the aftermath, including any water rescues. And in Washington, President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for the state, a needed step to speed federal assistance for recovery once Ian passes.

The storm was on track to later hit North Carolina, forecasters said. Gov. Roy Cooper urged residents to prepare for torrents of rain, high winds and potential power outages.

Those leading the rescue efforts following Hurricane Ian are seeing awful things. From finding people who have deceased to encountering families who have lost their homes, the hurricane could weigh on the mental health of responders.

State of Florida officials say they’re closely monitoring the mental health of responders.

“You're gonna see already there are already embedded what we call critical incident stress management teams or schism teams for short,” said Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “Those are already on site. And you're gonna continue to see first responders mental health resources come into the area including FEMA’s first responders' mental health services as well as individual mental health services as well as ours.”

According to federal statistics, 30 percent of first responders develop mental health conditions including depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Federal officials say 20 percent of the general public develop mental health issues. 

The Kaiser Family Foundation said about 7 in 10 first responders are reluctant to use mental health services. 

The state of Florida has existing mental health services for first responders available on its website.

Video above: Aerial footage of Ft. Myers flooding

As Ian, now a post-tropical cyclone, pushes rain across the central Appalachians Saturday, people are taking stock of the damage it caused in the Carolinas and especially Florida, where at least 45 have been reported dead in what was one of the most devastating hurricanes in the Sunshine State's history.

In Florida, the hurricane's effects will be felt into next week, as forecasters warn of possible major river flooding inland. Near Sarasota, a possible levee break has forced officers to evacuate a neighborhood early Saturday over flooding concerns.

Ian smashed into southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane Wednesday, pulverizing coastal homes and trapping residents with floodwaters, especially in the Fort Myers and Naples areas. It pushed through the peninsula into Thursday, bringing strong winds and damaging flooding.

The hurricane then made another landfall Friday in South Carolina between Charleston and Myrtle Beach as a Category 1 storm, flooding homes and vehicles along the shoreline and eventually knocking out power for hundreds of thousands more in the Carolinas and Virginia.

In Florida's hard-hit Fort Myers Beach, where a furious storm surge wiped out homes and left little but debris, shaken survivors are coping with what they saw and mourning those they've lost.

Kevin Behen, who rode out the storm on the second floor of a building in Fort Myers Beach, told CNN Friday night he knew of two men who died making sure their wives escaped a home that had begun to flood.

"These guys pushed their wives out the windows to where a tree was," Behen said. "They just looked at their wives and they said, 'We can't hold on anymore, we love you. Bye,' and that was it."

Video below: North Myrtle Beach homeowner wades through flooded home

About 90% of the island "is pretty much gone," Fort Myers Beach Town Councilman Dan Allers said Friday. "Unless you have a high-rise condo or a newer concrete home that is built to the same standards today, your house is pretty much gone."

More than 1.6 million utility customers were without power Saturday morning in four states in Ian's wake, including 1.2 million in Florida; more than 300,000 in North Carolina; 79,000 in Virginia; and 49,000 in South Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us.

In western Florida early Saturday, concerns over a possible levee break forced sheriff's officers to go door-to-door in the Sarasota-area community of Hidden River to warn residents of possible flooding there, a sheriff's office said.

Video below: Florida Gulf Coast island faces massive cleanup

In South Carolina, Ian dumped 7 to nearly 10 inches of rain in some coastal areas, according to National Weather Service data.

Ian had weakened to a post-tropical cyclone by Friday night, and its center -- with sustained winds of 25 mph -- was near the North Carolina-Virginia state line at 11 a.m. Saturday.

It should dissipate by Saturday evening. By the storm's end, it may have dumped 2 to 6 inches of rain across parts of the central Appalachians and coastal mid-Atlantic, the hurricane center said.

Damage to South Carolina shores

Authorities in South Carolina began cataloging damage on Pawleys Island, a coastal town roughly 70 miles north of Charleston. The biggest concern there, according to the mayor, is how to remove debris so the island can be safe again.

"It was a Category 1 hurricane, but we experienced tremendous storm surge today, probably beyond what most people anticipated," Mayor Brian Henry told CNN's Jake Tapper on Friday.

"Most of us did not believe we would see the storm surge at 7-plus feet," Henry said. "It's beginning to recede, but we have a huge amount of water on the roadways and across the island."

Video below: Nest home camera shows flooding underneath South Carolina home

Pawleys Island residents are not allowed to return home until safety assessments are fully conducted Saturday, police said.

The storm has flooded homes and submerged vehicles along the shoreline. Two piers -- one in Pawleys Island and another in North Myrtle Beach -- partially collapsed as high winds pushed water even higher.

In Horry County, where North Myrtle Beach is located, crews began removing debris left by the storm. Officials are urging residents to remain home and to not drive.

"It's a pretty scary sight," Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune said of the hurricane. "I'm seeing way too many cars passing by. And I think people just don't realize how dangerous it is to be out in these types of conditions. We've seen so many people's cars get stuck, and emergency personnel has to go out and rescue people."

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said on social media Friday, "A lot of prayers have been answered," adding that the storm is "not as bad as it could have been, but don't let your guard down yet. We are not out of the woods, there is water on the roads, still heavy winds, and it is still dangerous in many parts of the state."

Crews race to assist Floridians in need

A swath of destruction was cut across the Florida peninsula Wednesday and Thursday, with communities along the southwestern coast facing the brunt of Ian's storm surge at landfall. Sanibel and Captiva islands have been cut off from the mainland after parts of a causeway were obliterated by the storm.

Those living in Charlotte County are "facing a tragedy" without homes, electricity or water supplies, said Claudette Smith, public information officer for the sheriff's office.

"We need everything, to put it plain and simple. We need everything. We need all hands on deck," Smith told CNN Friday. "The people who have come to our assistance have been tremendously helpful, but we do need everything."

Video below: Here's why Hurricane Ian heavily damaged Central Florida despite making landfall near Fort Myers

From Florida's coastal shores to inland cities such as Orlando, dangerous flooding has forced locals into dire circumstances. In one Orlando neighborhood where deep water has covered roads, some residents traveled by boat to assist others.

Rivers rising due to the substantial rainfall are still impacting areas headed into the weekend. A 12-mile portion of Interstate 75 in Sarasota County is closed in both directions due to the rising Myakka River, according to the Florida Department of Transportation Friday evening.

The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued more than 275 people in Florida, according to Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson, and hundreds of additional rescues were being performed by teams from FEMA and local and state agencies. But post-storm conditions remain a huge challenge, he told CNN on Friday.

Video below: Kayakers take to the streets in Orlando

"We're flying and we're operating in areas that are unrecognizable. There's no street signs. They don't look like they used to look like. Buildings that were once benchmarks in the community are no longer there," he said.

At least 45 deaths suspected to be related to Ian have been reported in Florida, including 16 in Lee County, 12 in Charlotte County, eight in Collier County, four in Volusia County, one in Polk County, one in Lake County, one in Manatee 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, state emergency management Director Kevin Guthrie said.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As Hurricane Ian pummeled Florida, flamingos at a botanical park in St. Petersburg took shelter in a bathroom.

Sunken Gardens took to its Twitter account Wednesday to give let animal lovers know that the pink feathered birds were doing fine as they rode out the storm.

“We're hunkered down! Our animals are safe w/staff on site to see them through the storm," the park said. "The flamingos are having a hurricane party in the bathroom; eating, drinking, & dancing. Stay safe out there!”

We're hunkered down! Our animals are safe w/staff on site to see them through the storm.
The flamingos are having a hurricane party in the bathroom; eating, drinking, & dancing.

Stay safe out there! pic.twitter.com/ejCuuRUdma

— SunkenGardens (@SunkenGardens) September 28, 2022

This isn't the first time Floridians have seen flamingos huddled together for safety in a bathroom during a hurricane.

Wildlife photographer Ron Magill took a picture of flamingos inside a bathroom 30 years ago as they sought shelter from Hurricane Andrew, The Washington Post reported.

Of the countless images I have captured in my life, none is more iconic than this one. I can't believe it has been 30 years since Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida. I'll never forget capturing this image of the zoos flamingos huddled in the ladies restroom for protection. pic.twitter.com/iACXIBivSm

— Ron Magill (@RonMagill) August 24, 2022

Hurricane Ian slammed into the state's southwest coast on Wednesday as a Category 4, with it bringing 150 mph winds, storm surges, and mass destruction.

Rescue and recovery efforts are underway as the state deals with the storm's aftermath, as officials conduct searches of residences.

On Friday, officials said 21 people have died, but they caution that the death toll is preliminary.

Areas that saw significant damage included Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island.

The storm has since been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.

There have been hundreds of rescues in the wake of Hurricane Ian, but perhaps none went more viral than this one. Mike Ross saved a terrified tabby cat at Bonita Beach on Wednesday and the video has been seen more than 1 million times on social media. Watch video of the rescue in the video player above. Not long after Ross saved the frightened feline, the air conditioning unit it was perched on was washed into the ocean. The female cat is now living with Ross and his family while they try to find its owner. Since most veterinarians' offices are still closed, they haven't been able to see if the cat is microchipped. If she isn't, they will keep her and decided that Ian would be a fitting name. But since she's a girl, maybe they'll call her Iana or Storm, instead.

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REST OF THE WORK WEEK, WHEN I SEE YOU COMING UP AT 4:18. JIM: TURNING OUT A SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, WHICH HAS EXPERIENCED THE WORST OF THE STORM. SUMMER: WHAT ARE PEOPLE TELLING YOU WHAT THEY ARE COMING HOME, DANICA? THERE’S NOT MUCH FOR THEM TO COME HOME TO. REPORTER: THAT IS THE CASE FOR A LOT OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. BUT THE BRIDGE BEHIND ME OFFICIALLY SHUT DOWN YESTERDAY. ONLY FIRST RESPONDERS ARE ALLOWED THROUGH. THAT MEANS THE RESIDENCE WERE ALSO NOT ALLOWED TO GET ACROSS A BRIDGE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AT FORT MYERS BEACH. WE SPOKE TO RESIDENTS WE DECIDED TO WRITE OUT THE STORM -- RIDE OUT THE STORM. WE CAUGHT UP WITH A FEW. >> COME ON IN, GUYS. REPORTER: IT’S BEEN FIVE DAYS SINCE HURRICANE IAN. AND DENNIS SAYS HIS HOME DAMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. >> THEY ARE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO BE PULLED UP. REPORTER: THE FLOORS HAVE BUBBLED UNDER THE 3 INCHES OF RAINWATER, BUT MOST OF THE INTERIOR IS INTACT. DENNIS SAYS HE AND HIS MOTHER DECIDED LAST MINUTE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME AFTER EVACUATING AND RIDE OUT THE STORM. >> MY MOM IS LIKE, I HAVE GOT A LOT OF STUFF IN THE LANAI I WOULD LIKE TO SAVE, SO I SAID LET’S GO. SO WE WERE DRIVING 41 BACK, WE WERE DODGING TREES. REPORTER: SO YOU HAD A HOTEL AND DECIDED TO COME BACK TO YOUR HOUSE? >> YEAH. BIG MISTAKE, BIG MISTAKE. IT’S COMPLETELY GONE. REPORTER: DENNIS SAYS HE WATCHED AS HIS BACK LANAI WAS TORN OFF, HIS WINDOWS SHATTERED, AND A PIECE OF HIS NEIGHBOR’S ROOF FROM TWO DOORS DOWN SLAMMED INTO HIS BEDROOM WALL. >> THIS SLIDING GLASS DOOR STARTED BOWING. IT WAS 6 TO 8 INCHES, AND I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BREAK. I THOUGHT, IF THAT DOOR BREAKS, EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE IS GONE, SO I JUST GRABBED EACH SIDE OF THE DOOR AND I JUST PUT ALL MY WEIGHT AGAINST IT. I STOOD THERE FOR ALMOST 2 HOURS. REPORTER: BETWEEN THE PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO HIS HOME AND THE EMOTIONAL DRAIN, IT IS A HURRICANE EXPERIENCE HE HAS NO INTENTION OF REPEATING. >> YOU KNOW, THE FREIGHT TRAINS YOU HEAR ABOUT WITH THE TORNADOES, THIS WAS MORE OF A WHISTLE, VERY HIGH, CONSTANT WHISTLE. JUST CRAZY, NONSTOP FOR HOURS. REPORTER: BUT SOME GOOD NEWS BEFORE THE DAY’S END. JUST AS HE WAS SHOWING US THE DAMAGE TO A BEDROOM CLOSET. >> OH, YOU’RE MY GOOD LUCK CHARM. THE POWER IS ON. WE GOT POWER. I JUST SAW POWER. I WAS POINTING AT THE CLOSETS. I LOVE IT. REPORTER: AND IT WAS AN IMMEDIATE RUN OUTSIDE TO TELL HIS MOTHER AND NEIGHBOR THE GOOD NEWS. >> GO ON THE HOUSE AND TURN THE AIR ON, THE POWER IS ON. >> ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WOO-HOO! NOW I’M HAPPY. >> WE CAN HAVE MARGARITAS TODAY! WOO-HOO! REPORTER: DESPITE ALL THE DESTRUCTION, IT IS NICE TO SEE THOSE KINDS OF MOMENTS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE ARE SEEING POWER CREWS PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE. HOPEFULLY THE ROAD TO RECOVERY IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. THAT WILL NOT BE THE CASE FOR THE FORT MYERS BEACH AREA. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE NOT EVEN GOTTEN TO THE PHASE OF CLEANING OUT SOME OF THE DEBRIS FROM THE ROADWAYS. SO HERE START IN LATE, IT IS GOING TO BE A WHILE. JIM: LOVE THAT, WHEN THE POWER CAME BACK ON. BEFORE YOU GO, A LOT OF CHATTER IN THESE PARTS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND ONE OF THE LOCAL COUNTIES WHERE YOU ARE GAY PEOPLE ENOUGH TIME TO GET OUT OF HARM’S WAY, AN ISSUE OF THE EVACUATION ORDERS, IS THAT TOP OF MIND FOR PEOPLE THEY ARE OR ARE THEY JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE NEXT MEAL? REPORTER: THAT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS. WE DID ACTUALLY SPEAK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DECIDED TO WRITE OUT THE STORM. I ASKED IF YOU HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND YOU WERE LISTENING TO OFFICIALS, WHAT WAS THE DECISION TO STAY? MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE TO TOLD ME THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE OK, HAD WRITTEN OUT -- ROIDDEN OUT POWERFUL STORMS BEFORE, NOTHING COMPARED TO THIS, THEY SAID THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD HANDLE THIS. OBVIOUSLY AT THIS POINT NOW, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE TOLD ME THEY REGRET IT. SUMMER: HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING MEMORIALS? WHO HAVE BEEN REPORTING THE DEATH TOLL GOING UP. IS THAT ANYWHERE ON THEIR RADAR RIGHT NOW? OR IS THAT GOING TO BE LATER? REPORTER: WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, SUMMER, THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO SORT THROUGH THE DESTRUCTION. I DON’T EVEN THINK THEY HAVE GOTTEN SO FAR. THE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE COMING OFF OF THIS BRIDGE FROM FORT MYERS BEACH, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME COMING OVER THE BRIDGE, AS FAR AS RESCUE CREWS, FIRST RESPONDERS, THEY’VE BEEN IN A BUBBLE FOR DAYS. THEY DON’T KNOW ANYTHING BEYOND HOW THEY SURVIVED ON THAT ISLAND FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS. WE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE MORE ON THAT IN OUR EVENING NEWSCAST. I DON’T EVEN THINK ANYONE HERE IS STARTING TO PROCESS WHAT IS HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF WHAT THEY HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. IT’S BEEN JUST SURVIVAL. JIM: THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT MOMENT OF JOY, WE WISH THE BEST

Fort Myers man says deciding to ride out Hurricane Ian was 'big mistake' he won't make again

Updated: 8:02 PM EDT Oct 3, 2022

Some residents in southwest Florida decided to ride out Hurricane Ian instead of evacuating.Dennis, a Fort Myers man who did not want to use his last name, said he and his mother decided last minute to return to their home after evacuating and ride out the storm."My mom said, 'I have a lot of stuff in the lanai, I'd like to stay,' so I said 'alright, let's go. So we were driving back, we were dodging trees... Big mistake, big mistake," he said. Watch the full story in the video player above. He said his home's damage could've been worse."They're all going to have to be pulled up," he said in reference to the floors.The floors have bubbled under the three inches of rainwater. But most of the interior is intact. Dennis says he watched as his back lanai was torn off, his windows shattered and a piece of his neighbor's roof from two doors down slammed into his bedroom wall."This sliding glass door started bowing. It was six to eight inches and I knew it was going to break," he said. "So I grabbed each side of the door and I just put all my weight against it. I stood there for almost two hours." Between the physical damage to his home and the emotional drain, it's a hurricane experience he has no intention of repeating."You know the freight trains you hear about with the tornados. This was more of a whistle, very high, constant whistle. Just crazy, nonstop for hours," he recalled. "It was frightening. It was frightening. I'll never make that decision ever again."But some good news before the day's end: Just as he was showing sister station WESH the damage to a bedroom closet, the power came back."Oh, you're my good luck charm. The power is on, I just saw power," he said.He immediately ran outside to tell his mother and neighbor the good news."Go inside the house and turn the air on. The power's back," he said. "Woohoo, we can have margaritas today," the woman shouted back to him.

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

Some residents in southwest Florida decided to ride out Hurricane Ian instead of evacuating.

Dennis, a Fort Myers man who did not want to use his last name, said he and his mother decided last minute to return to their home after evacuating and ride out the storm.

"My mom said, 'I have a lot of stuff in the lanai, I'd like to stay,' so I said 'alright, let's go. So we were driving back, we were dodging trees... Big mistake, big mistake," he said.

Watch the full story in the video player above.

He said his home's damage could've been worse.

"They're all going to have to be pulled up," he said in reference to the floors.

The floors have bubbled under the three inches of rainwater. But most of the interior is intact.

Dennis says he watched as his back lanai was torn off, his windows shattered and a piece of his neighbor's roof from two doors down slammed into his bedroom wall.

"This sliding glass door started bowing. It was six to eight inches and I knew it was going to break," he said. "So I grabbed each side of the door and I just put all my weight against it. I stood there for almost two hours."

Between the physical damage to his home and the emotional drain, it's a hurricane experience he has no intention of repeating.

"You know the freight trains you hear about with the tornados. This was more of a whistle, very high, constant whistle. Just crazy, nonstop for hours," he recalled. "It was frightening. It was frightening. I'll never make that decision ever again."

But some good news before the day's end: Just as he was showing sister station WESH the damage to a bedroom closet, the power came back.

"Oh, you're my good luck charm. The power is on, I just saw power," he said.

He immediately ran outside to tell his mother and neighbor the good news.

"Go inside the house and turn the air on. The power's back," he said. "Woohoo, we can have margaritas today," the woman shouted back to him.