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Channel 7 cameraman ditches equipment to help people fleeing flooded homes during Hurricane Ian coverage

A group of residents attempting to navigate rising floodwaters were assisted by Channel Seven cameraman Glen Ellis in a dramatic moment

NAPLES, FLORIDA: In order to assist victims attempting to evacuate a flooded area as Hurricane Ian pummelled Florida's shore, a cameraman working for an Australian morning program abandoned his equipment during live transmission. The noble gesture was witnessed on live TV when Tim Lester, a journalist for Channel 7, was reporting early on Thursday from Naples, Florida.

A group of residents attempting to navigate rising floodwaters were assisted by Channel Seven cameraman Glen Ellis in a dramatic moment that was shown to viewers all around Australia. "Keep going, keep going,'' Lester told 'Sunrise' host David Koch, who then asked if the crew were okay. "It's an enormous storm, yes, we're fine," Lester replied. "We are just helping some people through the water here, that is our camera operator, Glen, out there. I think you can see he is trying to help people who are moving away from their homes."

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Ellis could be seen assisting individuals caught in the storm's path as the Australian reporter resumed his coverage. One person was observed attempting to carry their goods through the rising water while clutching the hand of a little child.

Lester continued, "We have spoken to a couple of them and they tell us already that their houses have been lost in the water, they have flooded right through and they have had to abandon them." The Channel 7 reporter added that since the weather was becoming worse, they were able to find a place that was high enough for their live broadcast.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, September 28, as a strong Category 4 hurricane with winds of around 241 km per hour. Only a few kilometers per hour separated the hurricane from being classified as a Category Five storm, the most dangerous category. According to NBC, the National Hurricane Centre has issued evacuation orders for millions because of a "life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds, and flooding in the Florida Peninsula."

In a nighttime speech, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cautioned the state residents that worse might yet happen. "This storm is doing a number on the state of Florida," the governor said, as per Reuters. The storm is expected to pass through the state on Wednesday and into "much of tomorrow," he added.