Floridians endure slow wait for power knocked out by Ian

By REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Ian may be long gone from Florida, but the job of restoring power and searching for anyone still inside flooded or damaged homes presses on. About 400,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity Tuesday in Florida and it will be the weekend before most power is restored. Meanwhile, the much weakened storm isn’t finished. Officials warned that Ian’s remnants could still cause coastal flooding from Long Island, New York, south to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Eighty deaths have been blamed on Ian, including 71 in Florida, five in North Carolina, three in Cuba and one in Virginia. Authorities say the death toll could rise as crews continue searching homes in the hardest-hit areas.