In Lee County on the coast—one of the areas which were more severely affected by the hurricane—the cities of Fort Myers and Naples were almost completely under water.

According to Fort Myers city authorities, the hurricane caused storm surges which brought the water up to three to four feet in parts of the city.

In Naples, the popular Naples Pier was drowned under 20 feet of water, which destroyed the historic structure.

On Wednesday evening, authorities in the two residential cities called for citywide curfews to keep their citizens safe.

As dangerous weather conditions overnight made emergency operations risky, rescue efforts were delayed until the early morning on Thursday, when Hurricane Ian was downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 1 storm.

The full scale of the damage caused by the hurricane is still unknown, as is the total death toll. The death of a 72-year-old man who was draining his pool in Deltona was reported by Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.

Talking to Good Morning America on Thursday morning, Lee County’s sheriff Carmine Marceno spoke of likely “hundreds” of fatalities, as he said rescuers were responding to thousands of calls made to 911 overnight on Wednesday.

The official numbers of deaths linked to the storm are not yet known.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Florida, making federal funding available to help affected individuals in the state’s counties of Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota.

Assistance potentially include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster, according to the official document.

But members of the public are also welcome to help Florida’s residents in need.

These are some of the ways you can help people affected by the hurricane:

Hurricane Ian is being described as the most powerful storm to ever hit the U.S., and is the first hurricane to strike Florida since October 2018, when Storm Micheal brought havoc on the state’s Panhandle.

The Florida Disaster Fund: launched by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, this program will fund both response and recovery efforts in the state in the aftermath of the hurricane and distribute money across different service organizations in Florida. Donations can be made through this link or you can text DISASTER to 20222. American Red Cross: The American Red Cross is helping people willing to help Florida’s residents hit by the storm by either making a monetary donation or donating blood. You can make a monetary donations through this link, call 800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Save The Children: For child-focus efforts, you can donate to Save the Children at this link. The organization plans to use any donation to provide water, hygiene kits, diapers and other life-saving supplies to children affected by the storm. Feeding America: Feeding America is at the forefront of helping communities stricken by natural disasters, providing food and other supplies. To donate to Feeding America, follow this link. Volunteer Florida:Through Volunteer Florida, you can either register as a volunteer to help Floridians first-hand (disaster mental health services are badly needed) or make a donation. Donations start from $25.