One of two nearly $500 million winning Mega Millions tickets was sold in an area devastated by Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian shattered and left his family homeless 2:15 (CNN) — One of two winning lottery tickets for the latest Mega Millions jackpot of nearly $500 million was sold in a hurricane-stricken area of ​​Florida. Hurricane Ian less than a month ago. The winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven in Fort Myers, Florida, the Florida Lottery said in a statement. Fort Myers residents are still repairing damage in the area after Ian made landfall on September 28. The other winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven in San Jose, California, the California Lottery said in a tweet. The winners will share the $494 million prize pool. The area around the 7-Eleven in Fort Myers was affected by the hurricane, according to CNN’s Carlos Suarez, who reported from the area after the hurricane made landfall. Ian, a powerful Category 4 hurricane, left more than 100 dead in Florida and devastated neighborhoods along the state’s west coast, as well as inland cities, including Orlando. But the area around Fort Myers was hit the hardest. Fort Myers Beach saw “total devastation,” Fort Myers Beach City Council member Dan Allers said afterward. Lee County, home to Fort Myers, has recorded more than 50 deaths, according to local officials. Ian is estimated to be the costliest hurricane in Florida history. “While we are always excited for all of our winners, this prize feels a bit more significant than others since the winning ticket was purchased in Fort Myers, an area that is still undergoing restoration due to the impact of Hurricane Ian several weeks ago.” Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis said in a statement. “We hope the prize will have a positive impact on both the jackpot winner and the retailer who sold the winning ticket,” Davis said. Florida winner has 180 days to claim prize. Winners in Florida cannot remain anonymous, according to the Florida Lottery. The winning numbers for the Mega Millions drawing on October 14 were 09-22-26-41-44 and the Mega Ball was 19.