Hurricane Ian Pummels US States, 45 Reportedly Killed

At least 45 people have died in Florida since Hurricane Ian hit the southern US state on Wednesday. Ian slammed into South Carolina on Friday afternoon and has destroyed at least four piers along the coast.

The US National Hurricane Center said dangerous storm surge continues along the coast of the Carolinas, and "considerable flooding" is expected along portions of coastal and northeast South Carolina.

During a press conference on Friday morning, Florida officials said there were 21 deaths from Ian, of which 20 were unconfirmed because they were spotted during search and rescue operations and crews were told to prioritize those found alive and still trapped, CGTN reported.

Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, told reporters those included 12 fatalities recorded in Charlotte County and eight fatalities in Collier County, but they have not been confirmed to be as a result of the hurricane.