POTUS: Ian, “The Deadliest Hurricane in Florida’s History”

Earlier, the President declared a state of emergency for the region in the wake of Hurricane Ian, which "could be the deadliest in Florida's history," he told a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) briefing.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said there are at least two "probable" deaths as Ian made landfall Wednesday afternoon at category four on the Saffir Simpson scale.

According to the governor, the weather phenomenon caused a " once-in-500-year flood," unleashed winds of 250 kilometers per hour.

As of midday Thursday, more than 2.6 million people, including southwest and central Florida, remain without power.

DeSantis said the significant damage caused by the hurricane would require years of efforts to rebuild beyond just an emergency response in the coming days or weeks.

Some death reports in Lee County have been received by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who said the number is expected to rise.

Criswell will travel to Florida on Friday for damage assessments. Search and rescue teams "will continue to be deployed as officials prepare for increased casualties from the storm," the administrator said.

Leaving a path of destruction in southwest Florida, Ian became a tropical storm over land Thursday morning. The National Hurricane Center said it is expected to regain hurricane strength after emerging over Atlantic waters later in the day, with South Carolina on target for a second U.S. landfall.