direct hit from the dangerous hurricane. we have the storm s track. and tonight s eye on america, hurricane hunters fly into ian s powerful winds to show us the new technology they hope will better predict a storm s path. and cbs s ben tracy got a first hand look. this drone can literally go fly around the insides of a hurricane? yes. this is a special edition of the cbs evening news with norah o donnell. reporting tonight from fort myers. o donnell: good evening, and thank you for joining us. and as we come on its air tonight, ian has regained hurricane strength as it moves into the atlantic. taking aim at georgia and the carolinas. but what it left behind here in florida is unimaginable in scale and historic in reach. the president saying tonight, this could be the deadliest hurricane in florida s history. we witnessed the trail of destruction this category 4 storm left. florida governor desantis said today this is a once-in-500-year flooding event. the hurricane-
on the ground and from choppers overhead. a nursing home evacuated in orlando. first responders with children in their arms, carrying them to safety. tonight, president biden warning of what could be a horrific death toll here. we have just learned the storm is now a hurricane again, regaining strength for its run up the east coast. tonight, nearly 2 million customers here in florida are without power. and tonight, we re with the families, those who sought shelter and who are still unable to get back to their homes. some who lost everything in the blink of an eye. georgia and the carolinas bracing in the coming hours. now the storm surge threatening charleston. chief meteorologist ginger zee, senior meteorologist rob marciano, both here in florida with me tonight. and our team spread out across the storm zone. the other major news this thursday night, the stunning turn in the war in ukraine. just days after those alarming images showing pro-russian soldiers armed with assau
and they ll have to be rebuilt. unfortunately, there are also homes and businesses that will simply not be able to safely take the power once it s ready. but the 20,000 plus men and women who are already here are staging and getting on the field currently. they will work 24/7 until we get the lights back on. again, as the governor said, not our first rodeo, but every storm is also different and always poses different challenges. but appreciate all the support from the state. governor, thank you. from local law enforcement as well, national guard. this is a team sport and a team effort, and we re going to all work together until we get florida back up on her feet and where we all want her to be. thank you. when fdl and the other companies have crews in, the extent to which that infrastructure has remained is just critical because, you know, it s a lot easier for them to reconnect an existing system than to have to rebuild it. to see that was able to withstand is encouraging.
waters. on the ground and from choppers overhead. a nursing home evacuated in orlando. first responders with children in their arms carrying them to safety. tonight, president biden warning of what could be a horrific death toll here. we have just learned the storm is now a hurricane again, regaining strength for its run up the east coast. tonight, nearly 2 million customers here in florida are without power. and tonight, we re with the families, those who sought shelter and who are still unable to get back to their homes. some who lost everything in the blink of an eye. georgia and the carolinas bracing in the coming hours. now the storm surge threatening charles on the. ginger zee, rob marciano, both here in florida with me tonight. and our team spread out across the storm zone. the other major news this thursday night, the stunning turn in the war in ukraine. just days after those alarming images showing pro-russian soldiers armed with assault rifles going door-to-door t
ian are learning more about how their lives are upended by one of the most powerful storms to ever hit florida. minutes ago we learned that power will likely not be restored in many areas before next sunday. think about that. but ian is also proving to be one of the most deadly in recent years and officials in florida say that at least 66 people are confirmed dead and more than half of the fatalities are here, amid the widespread devastation in lee county which is home to fort myers, sheriff says there that more than 600 rescues in that county alone, and more than 100 1,100 across the state. and there is a threat of a levee collapsing which is a 15-foot wall crashing into the neighborhood. officials reopened a stretch between north port and englewood and there have been lanes that had been shutdown in both direction, but it is reopened now. and earlier governor ron desantis said that overflowing lakes and rivers have created havoc. there are other areas that may be experien