Hurricane Ian death toll now more than 100 after storm slams into Florida, North Carolina

Search and rescue efforts continue to be underway.

October 12, 2022, 7:38 PM

At least 127 people in Florida have died due to Hurricane Ian, according to local officials, as the death toll continues to climb two weeks after the powerful storm slammed into the state's southwestern coast.

Five additional people were also reported dead due to the storm in North Carolina, according to the governor's office.

The Category 4 storm made landfall in Florida the afternoon of Sept. 28, causing catastrophic damage, fierce winds and dangerous, record-breaking storm surges.

Deaths from Hurricane Ian reported in Florida

The deaths span multiple counties in Florida, including 56 in Lee County and 24 in Charlotte County. There were also seven each in Monroe and Sarasota counties; five each in Volusia and Collier counties; four in Hardee County; three each in Manatee and Putnam counties; two each in Hendry, Hillsborough, Orange, Osceola and Polk counties; and one each in DeSoto, Lake and Martin and counties, ABC News has determined based on information from the Florida Medical Examiners Commission and inquiries with local officials and authorities.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said during a press conference Monday that officers were still conducting more than 600 well-being checks.

Hurricane Ian's death toll has been rising amid ongoing search and rescue missions.

PHOTO: Damaged homes and debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Sept. 29, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla.
Damaged homes and debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Sept. 29, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla.
Wilfredo Lee/AP

The causes of the deaths in Florida were primarily drownings, though included vehicle and roofing accidents, officials said.

Confirmed deaths from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement occurred in Lake, Sarasota, Manatee, Volusia and Collier counties between Sept. 27 and 30. The victims ranged in age from 22 to 91. One, a 68-year-old woman, drowned after being swept into the ocean by a wave on Sept. 29, the department said.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office was among the first to publicly announce a fatality from Ian. A 72-year-old man in Deltona died after attempting to drain his pool during the storm, the office said Thursday.

The man, who was not publicly identified, "disappeared" after heading outside, the sheriff's office said. Deputies found him unresponsive in a canal behind the home and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital, the sheriff's office said.

Deaths from Hurricane Ian reported in North Carolina

PHOTO: A police vehicle drives down a flooded street as rain from Hurricane Ian drenches the city, Sept. 30, 2022 in Charleston, South Carolina.
A police vehicle drives down a flooded street as rain from Hurricane Ian drenches the city, Sept. 30, 2022 in Charleston, South Carolina.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

The storm made landfall again on Sept. 30 in South Carolina, which has reported no deaths due to the storm so far, Gov. Henry McMaster said Saturday.

Though in neighboring North Carolina, five storm-related deaths have been reported. In a statement Saturday, Gov. Roy Cooper said three involved vehicle accidents on Sept. 30, with the victims ranging in age from 22 to 25. Additionally, a 65-year-old man died on Oct. 1 from carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator in his closed garage while the power was out. The manner of the fifth death is unclear.

Hurricane damage across the Southeast, as rescue efforts continue

PHOTO: Vehicles make their way through a flooded area after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Sept. 29, 2022 in Fort Myers, Fla.
Vehicles make their way through a flooded area after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Sept. 29, 2022 in Fort Myers, Fla.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Florida Rep. Kathy Castor, who represents the Tampa Bay area, called the situation a "major catastrophe."

"I'm afraid we're going to be dealing with a larger loss of life than we anticipated," she said on "ABC News Live" on Sept. 29.

Florida Sen. Rick Scott told "Good Morning America" on Sept. 29 there were "thousands of rescue efforts going on right now."

"We've got great sheriff's departments, police departments, fire departments, state rescue teams. They're working hard. But there's a lot of people that need help right now," he said.

He expressed concern for the state's many low-lying areas.

"The water kills and I'm just -- I'm scared to death of, you know, what's happened here and I hope everybody stays safe," he said.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told "Good Morning America" on Sept. 29 they had thousands of 911 calls they were answering in the wake of the storm making landfall.

"It's a real, real rough road ahead," Marceno said.

ABC News' Jay O'Brien, Ahmad Hemingway, Ben Stein and Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

Related Topics