FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Days after the skies cleared and the winds died down in Florida, Hurricane Ian's effects persisted Monday, as people faced another week without power and others were being rescued from homes inundated with lingering floodwaters.
Ten additional deaths were blamed on the storm in Florida as frustration and desperation mounted in the path the storm cut through the state. And the hurricane's remnants, now a nor'easter, weren't finished with the U.S.
The mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts were getting flooding rains. The storm's onshore winds piled even more water into an already inundated Chesapeake Bay.
Norfolk and Virginia Beach declared states of emergency, although a shift in wind direction prevented potentially catastrophic levels Monday, said Cody Poche, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wakefield, Va.
Coastal flooding temporarily shut down the only highway to part of North Carolina's Outer Banks, and flooding was possible all the way to Long Island, the National Weather Service said.
At least 78 people have been confirmed dead: 71 in Florida, four in North Carolina and three in Cuba since Ian made landfall on the Caribbean island on Sept. 27 and in Florida a day later.
Search and rescue efforts were still ongoing Monday in Florida. More than 1,600 people have been rescued statewide, according to Florida's emergency management agency.
Washed-out bridges to barrier islands, flooded roadways, spotty cellphone service and a lack of water, electricity or the internet left hundreds of thousands isolated. The situation in many areas wasn't expected to improve for several days because waterways were overflowing, leaving the rain that fell with nowhere to go.
In DeSoto County, northeast of Fort Myers, the Peace River and tributaries reached record high levels, and boats were the only way to get supplies to many of the county's 37,000 residents.
The county was prepared for strong winds after being hit by Hurricane Charley in 2004, but it was not prepared for so much rainfall, which amounted to a year's worth of precipitation in two days, DeSoto County Commissioner J.C. Deriso said.
"This flood has been pretty catastrophic," said Deriso, adding that officials hope to open one of the area's main highways by Tuesday.
Ian washed away bridges and roads to several barrier islands. About 130 Florida Department of Transportation trucks started work on building a temporary bridge to Pine Island and by the end of the week should be finished on a structure drivers can carefully traverse at slow speeds, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a news conference Monday afternoon.
The governor said a similar temporary bridge is planned for nearby Sanibel, but it will take a little more time.
"They were talking about running ferries and stuff," DeSantis said. "And honestly, you may be able to do that, but I think this is an easier thing, and I think people need their vehicles anyways."
The first two days without power at his Punta Gorda home weren't bad because he, his wife and 4-year-old daughter like to camp, Joe Gunn said.
But then they ran out of gas, Gunn said as he waited for an hour for $20 worth of premium fuel from a Bonita Springs station, one of the few open in the area. The family then drove to get supplies and a hot meal.
Gunn was preparing for another stressful night, worried someone might try to steal his supplies. "I am constantly listening to the generator. It's pitch black outside of the house," he said.
Across southwest Florida, residents whose homes were overrun by the sea or floods threw waterlogged mattresses, couches and other belongings into the street and tore out floors and cut into walls, hoping to dry the shells of their houses before mold set in.
"Everything that got water is starting to mold. We're cutting all the drywall out, 2 feet up, trying to get things dried out to save the house and to protect it from more damage," said Jeff Rioux, thankful for several days of nice weather and generators to run fans.
Neighbors helped one another where they could.
"I lost everything," said Alice Pujols, crying as she picked through the heaps of castaway clothes at a stranger's home. "I'm just looking for what I can salvage."
About 520,000 homes and businesses in Florida were still without electricity Monday evening, down from a peak of 2.6 million. But that is still nearly the same amount of customers in all of Rhode Island.
Eric Silagy, chairman and CEO of Florida Power & Light, said he understands the frustrations and emphasized that the utility's crews are working to get power restored as soon as possible. The utility provider -- the largest in the state -- expects to have power restored to 95% of the service areas affected by Hurricane Ian by the end of the day Friday, he said.
"If all goes well, we will be able to have all of our customers -- the over 2 million that were impacted by this monster storm -- essentially restored," Silagy said.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden plan to visit Florida on Wednesday. The president was in Puerto Rico on Monday, promising to "rebuild it all" after Hurricane Fiona knocked out all power to the island two weeks ago.
In Virginia, the U.S. Navy postponed the first-ever deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the nation's most advanced aircraft carrier, according to a statement from the Navy's 2nd Fleet. The carrier and other U.S. ships were scheduled to leave Norfolk on Monday for training exercises in the Atlantic Ocean with vessels from other NATO Countries.
The Navy's newest carrier, which was years late and 27% over budget, was scheduled to finally push off from the pier Monday, but was forced into another delay "due to changing weather conditions," said Lara Bollinger, public affairs officer for the U.S. 2nd Fleet.
Previously, the Navy planned to forgo a traditional, pier-side send-off for the Ford due to weather and safety concerns. The 2nd Fleet was also bracing for potential weather delays.
A new deployment date will be set when the weather allows, Bollinger said.
A coastal flooding event unseen for a decade was set to potentially inundate parts of Hampton Roads on Monday -- three days after the remnants of Hurricane Ian swept through the region.
A low-pressure system spawned in the aftermath of Ian was forecast to bring rain and northeast winds that could push tides higher than were experienced Friday, and Hampton Roads was under a flood warning until today.
The National Weather Service in Wakefield predicted 55-60 mph gusts along the coast late Sunday, persisting into Monday. The seas, meteorologists said, may be dangerous, with waves as high as 15 feet.
In the Chesapeake Bay, waves could reach 10 feet.
A gale warning was issued for the Chesapeake Bay through Monday night, and a storm watch was issued off Virginia Beach along the Atlantic.
The Ford has been delayed for at least two years by several factors, including the challenges posed by new technologies.
Now that is it ready -- weather aside -- the warship is touted as the Navy's most technologically advanced carrier, as it is the first to use a new aircraft-launching technology called the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, also known as EMALS, to put planes in the air 25% faster.
The Ford will operate in the Atlantic Ocean as the lead ship of a strike group bearing the carrier's name. The group, made up of 9,000 or so personnel, will focus training on air defense, anti-subsurface warfare, distributed maritime operations, mine countermeasures, and amphibious operations.
The Ford is the Navy's newest -- and largest -- aircraft carrier, and the first of a new generation. The USS John F. Kennedy is expected to join the Ford's class in 2024.
After moving across Florida, Ian made another landfall in the U.S. in South Carolina as a much weaker hurricane. Officials said Monday that crews were finishing removing sand from coastal roads and nearly all power had been restored.
Information for this article was contributed by Bobby Caina Calvan, Rebecca Santana, Anthony Izaguirre, Frieda Frisaro, David Fischer, Ben Finley and Jeffrey Collins of The Associated Press and by Caitlyn Burchett of The Virginian-Pilot (TNS).
A boy runs past a collapsed pool deck Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Daytona Beach Shores, Fla., as hotel and condo seawalls and decks along the Volusia County coastline were gutted by Hurricane Ian last week. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Beachgoers walk past a collapsed boardwalk and seawall, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Daytona Beach Shores, Fla., as hotel and condo seawalls and decks along the Volusia County coastline were gutted by Hurricane Ian last week. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Alice Pujols goes through someone else's discarded items for clothes and shoes for her family Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla. Pujols's home was completely destroyed after her home flooded due to rising waters caused by Hurricane Ian. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Beachgoers walk past a collapsed pool deck Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Daytona Beach Shores, Fla., as hotel and condo seawalls and decks along the Volusia County coastline were gutted by Hurricane Ian last week. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Beachgoers survey the damage Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Daytona Beach Shores, Fla., as hotel and condo seawalls and pool decks along the Volusia County coastline were gutted by Hurricane Ian last week. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Chris Spiezo, 18, takes a break on the front lawn after removing water logged walls from his home Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla. The canal behind his home crested at 12 feet on Wednesday as Hurricane Ian ravaged the area. Residents of Southwest Florida continue the arduous task of cleaning their flooded homes and salvaging whatever they could. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Sivan Cohen looks our from her pool deck as she tries to dry water logged belongings, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla. The canal next to her home crested at 12 feet on Wednesday as Hurricane Ian ravaged the area. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Beachgoers survey the damage Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Daytona Beach Shores, Fla., as hotel and condo seawalls and pool decks along the Volusia County coastline were gutted by Hurricane Ian last week. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Robert Rioux removes a water logged bathroom counter already showing signs of mold from his home, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Fort Myers, Fla. Rioux removed most of the walls, cabinets and furniture after his home was flooded during Hurricane Ian on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)