US: Biden fears 'substantial loss of life' in Hurricane Ian - VIDEOS

US President Joe Biden said that he is planning a visit to Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

Biden was speaking at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, which has been organizing the federal response to the disaster that has laid waste to swathes of the southern peninsula state.

An aerial photo shows damaged homes and debris in Fort Myers, Florida, as the destruction left by Hurricane Ian begins to come into focus a day after the storm made landfall in southwest Florida.

Follow live updates on the storm: https://t.co/414djqnszs pic.twitter.com/t8xQ15yEIr

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 29, 2022

"When the conditions allow it, I'm going to be going to Florida," the president said. He also plans on visiting Puerto Rico after it was hit by Hurricane Fiona last week.

Over $1000,000 McLaren P1 floats out of the owners garage.

Fort Myers in Florida is getting pummeled. #HurricaneIan #Tampa#Florida #RockYouLikeAHurricane#HurricaneSeason #Hurricane #TampaBay #FortMyers #Naples#PrayForFlorida #McLaren #P1 pic.twitter.com/EryFBbvQd7

— Curtis Fernheiser III (@CurtFernheiser) September 28, 2022

"This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history," he said, adding that "The numbers... are still unclear, but we're hearing reports of what may be substantial loss of life."

Drone footage showed the damage to Fort Myers in Florida from Hurricane Ian with boats washed ashore and cars crowded at a gas station https://t.co/6XKXV1Xa6d pic.twitter.com/mn1PbJndl8

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 29, 2022

At least six deaths have been reported, but this number is expected to climb as rescue workers spread across affected areas.

Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms to have struck US in recent times, flooded homes, washed out roads and bridges and left millions without power.

Full homes in Naples are now floating away as Hurricane Ian hits FLORIDA pic.twitter.com/9HHkUBChWs

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) September 29, 2022

"We've never seen storm surge of this magnitude," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told a news conference. "The amount of water that's been rising, and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flooding event."

The Mosy Scariest Moment of #HurricaneIan , #floridahurricane #Ian2022 #PineIsland #stormsurge #Storm #Hurricane #Florida #Orlando #Naples #Ian #naplesflorida #HuracanIan pic.twitter.com/ZbRxzd8kg2

— Onika ‘Tanya (@DaFrfr) September 29, 2022

Ian heads north

The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) issued a hurricane warning for the coastline of South Carolina, as Ian headed further north with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h).

The storm is expected to make landfall in South Carolina on Friday, according to the NHC.

The hurricane center also warned of a possible storm surge of 6 feet (1.83 meters) or more from Daytona Beach in Florida north to Charleston, South Carolina.

The Carolinas and Virginia are expecting up to 8 inches (20.32 centimeters) of rainfall.

"It doesn't matter what the intensity of the storm is. We're still expecting quite a bit of rainfall," Robbie Berg, a senior hurricane specialist at the NHC, told the Associated Press.