Ian regains hurricane strength as it nears South Carolina

(FASTNEWS |  FLORIDA) – Ian has regained hurricane strength as it spun toward South Carolina a day after devastating a cross-section of Florida.

A hurricane warning was issued on Thursday for the South Carolina coast, where the storm was expected to again make landfall on Friday.

The US National Hurricane Center said the storm’s maximum sustained winds increased Thursday to 120kph. It was centred about 390 kilometres south of Charleston, South Carolina, and moving northeast.

Ian made landfall on Wednesday on Florida’s west coast as a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 241 kph winds. The storm flooded homes, cut off a popular barrier island and left nearly 2.7 million people without power before moving over the Atlantic and turning north.

Rescue crews piloted boats and waded through flooded streets on Thursday to save thousands of Floridians trapped after Hurricane Ian destroyed homes and businesses and left millions in the dark.