A 67-year-old man waiting to be rescued by high-water crews died Thursday night in his New Smyrna Beach home after falling and not being able to get up before the water level rose over him, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.
The home was in an area inaccessible by standard patrol vehicles as the streets were flooded with waist-high water levels, according to the sheriff’s office.
The man and his wife were on a list to be rescued, the sheriff’s office said.
“Rescuers performed life-saving measures but were unable to revive the victim. He was pronounced deceased on scene. His wife and 2 dogs in the house were taken to a storm shelter,” the release said. “A deputy also recovered a third dog from the home and transported it to an animal shelter.”
This is the second storm-related death in Volusia Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, the release said. A 72-year-old man died Thursday in Deltona after falling in a canal behind his home, according to the release.
The Florida governor’s office previously reported 21 deaths thought to be related to Hurricane Ian. CNN’s tally of storm-related deaths now stands at 23.