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The extent of the destruction is visible from the air: Hurricane "Ian" made landfall in Florida with wind speeds of up to 240 kilometers per hour.
"Ian" is already considered one of the strongest storms to ever hit the United States mainland.
At least 50 deaths have now been confirmed.
Search teams are still unable to penetrate all of the affected areas.
The US military continues its reconnaissance flights to search for missing persons.
Some victims of the hurricane had to be rescued by helicopter because roads have become impassable - like here on the island of Sanibel, a popular travel destination for vacationers and retirees.
Dana Souza, Sanibel Island Parish
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I have experienced several hurricanes: Hurricane Wilma, Irma, Charlie, in various areas of Southwest Florida.
Each brought a level of destruction that was unique.
But what I saw on Sanibel is very different from anything I've seen before."
Sanibel Island is currently inaccessible by car as the only highway connecting the island to the mainland was destroyed by the hurricane.
The rescue workers evacuate the entire island because the supply situation for the residents is difficult.
Dana Souza,
Sanibel Island Parish
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Our electrical system is pretty bad.
Our sewage system is badly damaged and our public water supply is under review.
So all of this infrastructure that we need to sustain life on the island has been badly damaged.”
Around 1.2 million households in Florida were still without electricity at the weekend, and another 300,000 in the states of South and North Carolina and Virginia.
Ian has since weakened to a post-tropical cyclone.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the danger is not over yet.
Storm surges and strong winds should continue to be expected in North and South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, it said.
