damage to the south carolina coast where it struck today as a category 1 hurricane. this is the cherry grove pier in north myrtle beach, one of two that partially collapsed today. and just as on the florida gulf coast and later in orlando ian caused significant flooding in the charleston and myrtle beach areas and knocked out power to about a third of a million customers in south and north carolina. so we ve also just received some new video in of a high wave sweeping several people off a pier in miami. we have a big wave and about five people so that s in miami still from the high tide and the waves being kicked up by ian. six people were hurt in that. no one, thank goodness, was killed. state-wide, the death toll is now at least 42, and that is expected to rise. and the damage especially in places like fort meyers beach became even more apparent today. it is so severe that a coast guard commander told our wolf blitzer his chopper crews simply do not have monday landma
mid-atlantic states. after leaving florida, ian did make landfall earlier today near myrtle beach, south carolina, as a category one hurricane. it heavily flooded a local street. do you see this? this was a scene a few miles south and nearby pawleys island. the streets are turning into rivers look at this. the power of the storm surge as the hurricane was churning, the atlantic ocean, it sliced a peer into. as ian news northward tonight, a tornado watches now in effect for parts of the carolinas and virginia for at least one more hour until 10 pm eastern. meanwhile, back in florida, the extent of the destruction, well, it s staggering. this, that we re looking at, that is aerial video of fort myers beach. much of the committee has simply been totally obliterated. the result of a hurricane smashing into that part of florida as a massive category four storm. last night, the sheriff s office in lee county what you campuses the fort myers area, is releasing this new video, showin
considerable damage in parts of south carolina. you see it in this video. that storm ripping through a pier causing part of it to collapse. now, it also submerged this neighborhood with a strong storm surge that, in fact, was several feet high. it was so bad this man it was so bad this man had to wade through knee-deep water inside his own home. thankfully the water there is starting to recede, and some areas in the state have been spared the worst. but in florida the damage has been severe. at least 45 people have now lost their lives and hundreds of homes have been turned, well, you see there just piles of debris. the coast guard is trying to rescue survivors. president joe biden said more help is on the way. it s just a crisis for florida. it s an american crisis. we re all in this together. i ve spoken to governor desantis on multiple occasions as well as this morning as well as mayors and county officials both republican and democrat from places most affected. now,
it is 5:00 a.m. and with daylight will come more of a sense of damage and countless homes have been destroyed. but in the middle of all that devastation, we re often seeing inspiring scenes like this, a local reporter saving ae iing ad nurse who was pleading for help. he had to carry theoryher to sa his back. pawleys island, the storm washed parts of the pier away. authorities are still assessings damage and working to restore power. and brian todd is in naples, florida with a closer look at the damage there. nothing left. zero. the full extent of hurricane ian s destruction now coming fully into view. aerial damage assessments showing coastal florida neighborhoods with roofing tore off, homes flattened, house either flooded or wiped out. some buildings with nothing left but the concrete slab. remote lotions locations cut of the mainland. these images showing how hard sanibel was hit. only way to access that is either by sea or by air. reporter: so far more than 700
i m boris sanchez coming to you live from hard-hit fort myers, florida, where cleanup is under way where hurricane ian took aim. boris, good morning, i m amara walker, thank you for starting your morning with us. what is left of hurricane ian is moving north this morning after leaving half the destruction across florida and now the carolinas. and after making landfall as a category 1 hurricane in that region, it s now moving inland as a post-tropical cyclone. and even though it s been downgraded officials warn it still trains that area with heavy rain and flood. yeah, in south carolina, the storm flooded homes and vehicles along the shorelines. and as high winds purged with storm surge higher, two pier, one in pawleys island, and this one in north myrtle beach partially collapsed and just washed away. ian is blamed for at least 45 deaths. the severe category 4 hurricane wednesday packing sustained winds of 150 miles per hour. the coast guard said it has rescued more tha