- Alligators and snakes are swarming around Florida homes destroyed by Hurricane Ian, an official said.
- "There are a lot [of] places that are not livable," Sanibel Fire Chief William Briscoe told CNN.
Alligators and snakes are swarming around Florida homes that have been made unlivable by Hurricane Ian, a local fire official said.
The hurricane, which made landfall as a ferocious Category 4 storm in southwest Florida last week, damaged every home on the Sunshine State's Barrier island of Sanibel, Sanibel Fire Chief William Briscoe told CNN in a report published on Tuesday.
"There are a lot [of] places that are not livable. There are places off their foundation, and it's very dangerous out there," Briscoe told the news outlet.
He added, "There are alligators running around, and there are snakes all over the place."
Hurricane Ian knocked out several portions of the Sanibel Causeway — the only road that connects the barrier island with the mainland — when the storm wreaked havoc on the state.
Briscoe told CNN that crews have already evacuated 1,000 people from Sanibel since the storm struck on September 28.
Pine Island, the largest barrier island on Florida's Gulf Coast, is dealing with similar destruction caused by Ian.
Supplies and food are now being airdropped to the island via helicopter after the storm destroyed the only bridge to get there, CNN reported.
"Food is being delivered to Pine Island. Now, is it enough to sustain them over a long period of time? I can't say that yet — none of us can," Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais said, according to the news outlet.
When Ian made landfall over southwestern Florida, it brought winds of 150 miles per hour, dangerous storm surges, and catastrophic flooding, resulting in the deaths of dozens.
The storm left a path of devastation across Florida as it trapped locals inside their flooded homes and left millions without power.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a press briefing on Monday that there have been 1,900 rescues across the state.
He also said there have been more search-and-rescue teams in Florida than have ever been in one location since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Power has been restored to more than 2.1 million customers, DeSantis said, explaining that 5% of customers are still without.