TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida's governor said Wednesday evening Hurricane Ian, which made landfall near Cayo Costa in Southwest Florida as a monster Category 4 storm, will go down as one of the top five worst hurricanes in state history.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Ian is battering the west coast of Florida with "life-threatening storm surge" and "major flooding," with the worst impacts in Collier County, Fort Myers Beach, and Sanibel Island.
In some areas, the storm surge has hit 12 feet, according to the governor.
"It is our meteorologists' view that the storm surge has likely peaked and will likely be less in the coming hours," DeSantis said.
WATCH: Florida's governor discusses storm damage from Hurricane Ian
The water is so high in many coastal communities, first responders are unable to reach people who refused to evacuate and are now stuck in their homes.
"Some have called in, and those people are being logged," DeSantis said. "There will be a response, but it's likely gonna take a little time for this storm to move forward."
There are more than 1.1 million power outages reported around the state, and 42,000 lineman from 27 different states are mobilized and responding to incidents.
"That number is gonna grow," DeSantis said. "You're gonna see more power outages as this storm moves through the center part of our state."
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The state on Wednesday submitted a "major disaster declaration" to the federal government for all 67 counties in Florida, asking the Biden Administration to reimburse the state for 100% of all storm-related costs over the next 60 days.
A total of 7,000 National Guard service members, nearly 250 aircraft, more than 1,600 high water vehicles, and more than 300 boats are mobilized and prepared to respond to emergencies.
"A storm of this magnitude is gonna require an effort over an extended period of time," DeSantis said.
The governor added that Hurricane Ian will "produce catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge on the Gulf coast of Florida."
Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie urged residents to stay inside during the storm.
"Please keep in mind that first responders may not be able to immediately enter impacted areas to assist you due to the safety hazards," Guthrie said.
During a Tuesday news conference, Guthrie advised residents of Southwest Florida to "go straight across the state" to Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.
Ian strengthened into a powerful Category 4 hurricane early Wednesday, packing winds of 155 miles per hour, just shy of Category 5 strength.
