he death toll from Hurricane Ian in the southeastern United States has climbed past 80 as some officials face criticism over their response to the storm.
\nAccording to international media, at least 85 storm-related deaths have been confirmed since Ian made landfall on Florida\u2019s Gulf Coast as a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 249 kilometres per hour (155 miles per hour).
\nThe sheriff\u2019s office in coastal Lee County, which includes devastated Fort Myers, said it had counted 42 dead, with 39 deaths reported by officials in neighbouring counties.
\nOfficials in Lee County have faced questions over whether they mandated evacuations in time.
\nCecil Pendergrass, chairman of the county\u2019s board of commissioners, said on Sunday that evacuation orders were given as soon as the hurricane\u2019s direction became clear. Even then, some people chose to ride out the storm, Pendergrass said.
\nDeanne Criswell, the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, said the federal government planned to unleash a huge amount of aid, focusing its attention on Florida first. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are due to travel to the state on Wednesday.
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