Biden warns of ‘substantial’ deaths as Florida reels from storm

US President Joe Biden has warned that Hurricane Ian could be the deadliest storm to hit Florida in the state’s history, as rescue teams raced to save residents trapped by floodwaters, fallen electricity lines and debris.

Biden on Thursday promised that the federal government would do everything it could to get Florida residents the support they need after the storm, which made landfall a day earlier as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane.

“This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history,” Biden said during a visit to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, DC. “The numbers are still unclear but we’re hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life.”

One of the strongest storms to hit the United States in years, Hurricane Ian has cut a path of destruction across Florida, with floods trapping people in homes and power knocked out for more than 2.6 million homes and businesses.

Authorities have only begun to assess the damage, as power outages and a lack of mobile service early on Thursday made it nearly impossible for many people to call for help from the hardest-hit coastal areas on the state’s Gulf coast, where the hurricane made landfall.

Agencies