A winning lottery ticket worth a half-share of a $494 million Mega Millions jackpot was bought in a south-west Florida city battered by Hurricane Ian late last month.
Florida lottery officials on Monday said one of the two winning tickets was bought at a 7-Eleven convenience shop in Fort Myers. The other winning ticket was bought in California.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in south-west Florida as a Category 4 storm on September 28 and has been blamed for more than 100 deaths in the state.
It was the third-deadliest storm to hit the US mainland this century. More than half of the storm-related deaths in Florida were reported in Lee County, which includes Fort Myers.
Lottery winners in Florida have 180 days to claim their prize. Under a new state law, they can stay anonymous for 90 days from the day they claim the winnings, if their prize is worth $250,000 or more.
Past winners have also set up legal trusts as a way to keep their identities anonymous.
Rescuing the people and pets of Pine Island, Florida - in pictures
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Volunteers helped rescue hundreds of birds from the Malama Manu Sanctuary after Hurricane Ian cut off Pine Island from the mainland. AP -
Hundreds of birds had to be evacuated by boat after Hurricane Ian destroyed the island's infrastructure. AP -
Alexis Highland handles a parrot that is being evacuated from the Malama Manu Sanctuary in Pine Island, Florida. AP -
Alexis Highland handles a parrot that is being evacuated from the Malama Manu Sanctuary in Pine Island. AP -
Bryan Stern, founder of Project Dynamo, carries a bird being rescued from a sanctuary in Pine Island. AP -
Will Peratino, owner of the Malama Manu Sanctuary, and Ms Highland prepare a bird for transport off the island. AP -
Crates of exotic and rare birds are transported by boat to the mainland off the coast of Pine Island. AP -
Mike Bailey and his wife Audrey with their cockatoo, Bailey, as they wait to be evacuated from Pine Island in Florida. Reuters -
Kate Frank and her cat make their way to a boat to be moved from the island on Tuesday. Getty / AFP -
Dogs are strapped on to the external cargo platform of a helicopter as owner Tom Koch is moved to safety by members of Mediccorps.org. AP -
The road to Pine Island was made impassable after Hurricane Ian passed through the area and washed out sections of the road. Getty / AFP -
Residents are being encouraged to leave because the only road on to the island was made impassable, and electricity and water were cut by Hurricane Ian. AFP -
A Chinook helicopter carries an industrial generator to Pine Island. Getty / AFP -
A car on a destroyed road between Matlacha and Pine Island after Hurricane Ian. Reuters -
Soldiers arrive at the Matlacha-Pine Island fire control district with much-needed supplies. Reuters -
Many island residents were waiting to be moved to safety with their pets. Getty / AFP -
Andy Sherwood talks with a US Coast Guard officer as he is being evacuated from the island with his dog. Reuters -
Pine Island residents and their dogs. Getty / AFP -
Charlie Russell and Brian Lewis and pup ride in the back of a lorry to a boat off Pine Island. Getty / AFP -
Xavier Pinero and his cat are taken off the island in Florida. Getty / AFP -
Tom O'Sullivan his dog Jack, and Harry Marquard prepare to be flown off the island in a Florida Army National Guard helicopter. Getty / AFP -
Mr O'Sullivan and Jack settle in for the ride to shelter. Getty / AFP -
Lisa, Ray and Lucia West and their dog wait to be taken off the island. Getty / AFP -
Residents and their pets are being encouraged to leave because the only road on to the island is impassable. Getty / AFP -
The only bridge to the island is heavily damaged. AP -
The destroyed bridge leading to Pine Island after Hurricane Ian. AP -
Responders from the de Moya Group look at damage to the bridge. AP -
Ms Bailey waits to be moved off the island with her cockatoo. AP -
Research company Enki Holdings estimates the economic cost of Hurricane Ian at between $60bn and $70bn in damage to homes and infrastructure, the cost of rebuilding and longer-term effects including disruption to tourism. Bloomberg -
Helen Koch, a dog breeder, is evacuated with some of her 17 pets on a helicopter. AP -
Doctor Karen Calkins tends to Mona Guibord, 94, as she waits to be taken from the island. AP
