DELTONA, Fla. — A 72-year-old Deltona man died early Thursday after going outside during Hurricane Ian to drain his swimming pool, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
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Deputies said they were called to a home on Poinciana Lane near Lake Bethel around 1 a.m. after the man’s wife reported him missing after going outside.
LIVE UPDATES: Ian weakens to tropical storm as strong winds and heavy rains continue in Florida
Deputies said the man was found unresponsive in a canal behind his home.
Several deputies pulled the man from the water and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but he died, deputies said.
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Investigators said the man was using a hose to drain his pool down a hill and into a 30-foot-wide canal, where a steep decline into the water was extremely soft and slippery due to the heavy rain.
Law enforcement agencies around Florida are warning people to stay sheltered during the storm.
Watch: Hurricane Ian floods homes, businesses and streets in Osceola County
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