Ian has crossed the east coast of Florida as a tropical storm and is gaining power again as it heads north towards South Carolina’s coast. In its wake, it left what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says is “historic” damage and has predicted that rebuilding could take years. And US President Joe Biden has painted a bleak picture of the devastation overnight, saying that early reports indicate “what may be substantial loss of life” in the state. He says federal agencies are helping state and local officials assess the damage and rescue stranded people. More than 2.5 million households and businesses are without power after Ian smashed into the southwestern coast yesterday as a “catastrophic” Category 4 storm. In one of the most powerful storms to hit the US in recent years, the 241km/hour winds and huge sea surges have wreaked havoc, particularly in the coastal cities of Fort Myers and Naples. The full extent of the impact is yet to be confirmed, but the photos and videos are intense.