Hurricane Ian Death Toll In Florida Climbs To 81

The confirmed death toll from Hurricane Ian, which slammed the southeast United States last week, rose to at least 81 in Florida alone, officials said on Monday.

There were several fatalities in Cuba and North Carolina as well, though no official toll was available.

Ian, one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States, flattened entire neighborhoods and knocked out power lines and bridges as it made landfall on Florida's southwestern coast last Wednesday.

Days after it carved a path of destruction from Florida to the Carolinas, the dangers persisted, and even worsened in some places. It was clear, as President Joe Biden pointed out earlier, that the road to recovery from this monster storm will be long and painful.

Estimated losses from Ian's wind and storm surges are between 28 billion and 47 billion US dollars, according to CoreLogic, an American research firm that estimates losses from natural disasters.

Wind-driven storm surges and immense downpours left even inland neighborhoods submerged, with search and rescue teams continuing to look for victims.