Hurricane Isaias Leaves at Least Two Dead Across Florida and Alabama
The Category 2 storm made landfall near Destin, causing widespread power outages for nearly 800,000 customers across the Southeast.
At least two people have died as a result of Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall on the Gulf Coast late Friday night before moving through Alabama. The National Hurricane Center confirmed that the storm struck near Destin, Florida, around 8:30 p.m., packing sustained winds of 105 mph and generating a storm surge of approximately five feet. Emergency crews in both Florida and Alabama are currently surveying extensive damage caused by high winds, downed trees, and flooding.
Fatalities Reported in Escambia and Jefferson Counties
The first death occurred in Escambia County, located in the far west of the Florida Panhandle. Sgt. Melony Peterson of the Escambia County Sheriff's Office reported that a rescue team found a victim pinned under a large tree shortly before 9 p.m. local time on Friday. "The victim was inside the home when the tree collapsed," Peterson stated via email.
A second fatality was confirmed in Jefferson County, Alabama, which includes Birmingham. Jim Coker, Director of the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency, told reporters that a storm-related death occurred overnight after a tree fell on a single-family residence. Officials are urging residents to remain cautious as recovery operations continue across the region.
Widespread Power Outages and Recovery Efforts
The impact of Hurricane Isaias extended far beyond immediate fatalities, leaving nearly 780,000 power customers without electricity in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia by mid-morning on Saturday. This figure represents a slight decrease from the earlier count of approximately 900,000 outages reported that same morning.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis noted during a news conference that some counties experienced severe disruptions, with Santa Rosa, Holmes, Washington, and Walton counties reporting more than an 80% loss of power. To address the crisis, approximately 16,000 utility workers were deployed to restore electricity. "Last night in the wee hours of the morning, those crews began working as early as 3 a.m.," DeSantis said, as we reported in Hurricane Isaias Strengthens; North Florida Braces for Storm Impact.
Storm Weakening and Ongoing Threats
Hours after making landfall, Isaias was downgraded from a hurricane to a post-tropical cyclone. By 5 a.m. local time on Saturday, its sustained winds had dropped to 35 mph as the system moved northward through Alabama. Despite this weakening, threats persist further inland.
Flash flood warnings remain in effect for areas away from the coast, and forecasters have warned that tornadoes could spin off from the storm's thunderstorm bands affecting Georgia. While major roads such as I-10 and Route 98 were reported open by Saturday morning, emergency management agencies continue to advise residents to avoid unnecessary travel while crews clear debris and restore services.
