Hurricane Isaias Makes Landfall in Florida: 664000 Customers Without Power, Flooding Reported

Hurricane Isaias struck the US Gulf Coast on Friday as a powerful Category 2 storm, bringing destructive winds, heavy rainfall, flooding and dangerous storm surges to parts of Alabama and Florida’s Panhandle.

The first hurricane of the Atlantic season made landfall near Destin, Florida, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. At the time, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (169 kph). It weakened to just below major hurricane strength before reaching the coast. By early Saturday, its winds had slowed further, and it was no longer classified as a hurricane.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged people to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel as the storm moved through the region. “The storm is here. Buckle down at this point. Don’t be getting out on the roads,” DeSantis said at a news conference. He warned that flash flooding would remain a major threat “throughout the region.”

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Powerful winds battered low-lying coastal communities along the Gulf shoreline, an area popular for its white-sand beaches, holiday homes, waterfront bars and seafood restaurants. Weather forecasters also warned that the storm could produce tornadoes across Florida’s Panhandle and southern Georgia.

US President Donald Trump said the government was monitoring the hurricane closely. Speaking to reporters at the White House late Friday after returning from a rally in upstate New York, Trump said, “We’re watching it very closely, the hurricane,” adding that it was “under control.”

Flooding and Damage Reported Across Florida and Alabama

Flooding affected several roads in Destin, while police in nearby Pensacola urged residents to remain off the streets because debris had made road travel dangerous. The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear, but residents shared images online showing fallen trees and damaged power lines.

A video posted on social media also appeared to show the roof of an inn in Pensacola being torn away by the strong winds.

Conditions became so dangerous in parts of Florida’s Panhandle that emergency response operations were temporarily suspended in several counties on Friday night.

Southern Alabama also experienced flooding and storm damage. Officials in Mobile reported fallen trees and power lines, while authorities closed roads in Houston County, in the southeastern part of the state, because of hazardous conditions.