Well tonight, nearly a week after Hurricane Ian ravaged the state of Florida, the long road to recovery has only just begun. More than four hundred thousand customers are still without electricity. Officials in Fort Myers say it could take more than a month before power is full restored. Emergency team’s cadaver dogs have gone door to door to nearly eighty thousand damaged homes and rescued more than two hundred residents. Flooding remains a problem across central Florida as lakes and rivers continue to rise. Well tomorrow, President B will visit the damaged and meet with governor R.D. setting aside their political differences.

The water has receded from this particular neighborhood. But if you take a look from above, all of the debris, the trash, the ruined furniture that is now out on the street, all of it is the evidence of the onslaught that took place here. Many say the sense of shock they felt after Ian hit is now giving away to a feeling of helplessness. Across Florida, residents are still reeling. Parts of Lee County could be without power for weeks. Schools in eight counties are remain closed some damage beyond repair, and floodwaters near Orlando continue to rise. Tens of thousands still lack the basics, food, running water, housing. To help, the state is handing out ready to eat meals and water, eighteen million bottles so far. But it is not enough. We’ve found volunteers at Gladiolus Food Pantry in Fort Myers operating outside after the building flooded. Before Ian, eight hundred families a month sought assistance here. Since Friday, they’ve served more than sixteen hundred meals. Volunteers are also going door to door getting supplies to those can’t reach them. Among the most vulnerable, the elderly and immigrants who service the region’s agriculture and tourism industries.