Rescue Efforts Underway In Florida As Death Toll Expected To Rise

The death toll from Hurricane Ian has reached at least 87 as search and rescue team continue going door to door, combing through rubble looking for survivors in the hardest hit areas. NBC News’ Dasha Burns breaks down how FEMA’s search and rescue teams are handling the huge undertaking and how people impacted by the storm are reacting to the rescue efforts. 

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[chaz]

I really got choked up when the Miami Fire Chief spoke about how they go about the search with respect to the lives lost....the quiet way they work....it really hit my heart hard. Much respect to all those men and women out there working hard searching, and to all the people working hard to help these people get their lives back together. The light at the end of the tunnel is a great distance away...but it's getting closer everyday. Prayers to all affected by this tragedy. If you rebuild...you have guts. If you decide to relocate....no one can blame you.

[TheGreenVeterans]

I’m volunteering with Team Rubicon USA to help out with tree and debris removal starting Friday. I’ll be there for a week of 12 hour work days. We are already operational with route clearance crews working from a tent camp set up in a parking lot.

[sunnyrays]

God bless those rescue workers. I cannot imagine.

[MaryLopez-emrc]

Don’t bet it’s going to come back if only 15% have flood insurance.

[michaelmurphy]

The quiet has a purpose. It's so that can hear anyone calling for help.

[MarkJohnson-ouxz]

When deciding if you should leave, consider if you can survive and recover with no outside help! If not, GET OUT!

[anthonyhewetson]

As much as I admire the spirit of folk bent on recovery the "It'll come back better." quote remains a huge part of the problem. These communities, with tenuous lifespans at best, will be rebuilt with no consideration as to whether or not they should be rebuilt. Best of luck to y'all but please consider relocating to points further from the coast.

[rtqii]

I would expect a death toll of at least several hundred given the number of homes and buildings destroyed. You cannot survive in a building when it is destroyed like that.

[LisJack]

I've been thinking a lot about all the people who have lost their lives in Hurricane Ian and all the damage that it did to Florida and South Carolina. After watching many of the interviews with people who made it through the storm surge and hurricane-force winds, it struck me that many of the people, who stayed because they had been through other smaller hurricanes in the past, didn't seem to have a fundamental understanding of the difference between a category 1 hurricane and a category 4 hurricane even though they had been warned that it was on its way several days in advance. The critical information they needed to know in advance is that hurricane wind force increases exponentially, not linearly. A Category 5 hurricane, for example, is 500 times more powerful than a Category 1. How does this relate to property damage? Compared to Category 1, a Category 2 hurricane can generate seven times the amount of damage, while a Category 5 storm can generate 144 times the amount of destruction. If they had understood this, they would have left before the storm arrived and it would have saved many lives. Science education is extremely valuable and saves lives.

[kingofnothing]

Hurricanes just keep on proving over and over that there's no such thing as hurricane proof.

[lisa]

Devastating..prayers for all and lots of ♡
I'm in Florida as well we were definitely spared in the area we are in..continue prayers for everyone..

[keriezy]

It is called a CADAVER DOG. Don't sugarcoat this!!!

[clive]

Maybe it's time we started to urgently address climate change. That will help much more than prayers.

[Melissa]

What do they do with all that debris? It seems never-ending.

[jessica_R_]

250 died one winter storm in Texas last year, have to imagine FL will give them a run for their money

[reneemoreno]

Cadaver canines will be brought now...I think many more souls will be accounted for.

[johnwattdotca]

When I arrived it said 19 Comments, 601 views. I see two comments, Witness 101 and The Moonlight 90s.
If the deleted comments were sadistic about people suffering from this hurricane as I saw elsewhere, I agree.

[frankwhitson]

Prayers I have lots of Friends and Family in Makes Me Cry To see this... My mom is from Florida, living in Had a feeling to not move there back in the summer.... I have over 649 family Members florida now, 6 family members not heard from... God willing they will be ok... I hope all yours family and friends will be ok... God bless... I hope they will stop playing God with our Weather now...

[flukeoutdrsy]

Karma! Florida should not have snubbed the victims of Hurricane Sandy! You can blame Rubio and Desantis!

[christopherrobin]

I hate that the Hurricane has my first name. God bless everyone that was effected by the hurricane. I pray all the pets get saved soon. And not left to fend for themselves