The death toll from Hurricane Ian now surpassed 80, and several politicians have come under fire for their handling of the disaster
Residents of Florida and the Carolinas are facing a recovery that will likely cost tens of billions of dollars.
As flood waters receded and search crews ventured deeper into originally cut-off areas, it was anticipated that the dead toll would keep climbing
Hundreds of people have been saved as rescuers combed through homes and structures that had been entirely swept away or submerged in water
Since Category 4 Hurricane Ian, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, made landfall in Florida's Gulf on Wednesday, at least 85 storm-related fatalities have been verified (240kph)
All but four of the fatalities occurred in Florida, with 39 more deaths recorded by officials in four neighbouring counties
The sheriff's office in coastal Lee County, which took the brunt of the storm's impact when it made landfall, reported 42 dead