RIVERSIDE, Calif. (CNS) — An Inland Empire nonprofit is seeking blood donations to send to Hurricane-ravaged Florida, where shortages are acute due to flooding and other impacts.

"On average, blood collection organizations nationwide had only 1-2 days' worth supply of blood supply heading into the storm," according to LifeStream Blood Bank. "Anticipated disruptions in blood collections — as well as transportation challenges — in Florida and the Southeast throughout the next several days are likely to exacerbate already low inventories, particularly in the affected areas."

LifeStream, which operates blood collection sites in Hemet, La Quinta, Murrieta, Riverside and surrounding areas, has joined the American Red Cross and other organizations in requesting donations to help victims of Hurricane Ian.

"LifeStream is asking all eligible blood donors to schedule an appointment as soon as possible," LifeStream CEO Dr. Rick Axelrod said. "We want to have the product on hand and ready when Florida blood centers request our help. The ongoing blood shortage makes this a challenge, as our supply is already critically low for our local hospitals here at home. To have an adequate supply for our local patients in Southern California and to support our friends in Florida, we need our loyal donors to answer the call for help." 

Axelrod said there's a critical demand for 1,000 blood cell units and 2,000 platelet units.

Information on how to make donations can be found at www.LStream.org, or by calling 800-879-4484.

Ian slammed into southwest Florida Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 hurricane, inflicting massive damage on beachfront communities, including Fort Myers and Cape Coral, before plowing northward. Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis characterized it as "one of the top five hurricanes to ever hit the Florida peninsula."

An estimated 2.5 million Floridians are without electricity, according to published reports.

About 500 swift water and other rescues have been carried out in Charlotte and Lee counties since Wednesday, state officials said. Forty elder care facilities had to be evacuated in the face of the storm.

Estimates on casualties have not been released.

Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm by Thursday morning, but it may regain hurricane strength as it churns over the Atlantic before making landfall in Georgia and South Carolina Friday, according to forecasters.