Update:
Authorities report at least 4 storm-related deaths in Alabama and Florida
Another two deaths were confirmed Saturday, raising the death toll in both states to four since Isaias came ashore overnight.
In Escambia County in Florida, Sheriff Chip Simmons said on Facebook that one woman died after a tree fell on her home.
Simmons later said a man was found dead at home, killed by carbon monoxide fumes from a generator running in his garage.
Four more family members, ranging in age from 4 to 72 years old, were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, his office said.
In Alabama, Cory Moon, fire chief of Birmingham’s Fire and Rescue Service, told The Associated Press it responded to a call around 5 a.m. with a tree down on a structure and people trapped. One person was treated at the scene and a second person was pronounced dead.
A second storm related death in Alabama was attributed to a motor vehicle accident involving a downed tree in Barbour County, according to Josh Johnson of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. Johnson had no further details.
Isaias weakened after making landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane Friday evening. Its powerful winds left hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle without power early Saturday. It was the first hurricane of the Atlantic season.
Trump approves an emergency declaration for Georgia
The president on Saturday authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide resources to Georgia to deal with impacts from the storm, including possible tornadoes.
Local news outlets are reporting a handful of roads already have been blocked by fallen trees around Atlanta.
The National Hurricane Center said parts of Georgia and the Carolinas could see up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain, though totals are likely to be 3 to 6 inches (7 to 15 centimeters).
The center said tornadoes are possible across eastern Georgia and the Carolinas.
GULF BREEZE, Fla. (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle were without power early Saturday after Isaias crashed into the U.S. Gulf Coast as a dangerous hurricane and left flooded roads and downed trees in its wake as it moved inland.
The storm made landfall Friday as a Category 2 hurricane, then quickly moved north through Alabama as its wind speeds dropped sharply. But the possibility of life-threatening storm surges still loomed for parts of the Florida Panhandle, along with heavy rain and potential flooding for much of the Southeast over the weekend.
Forecasters also warned that conditions could stir up tornadoes across parts of the Florida Panhandle and into Georgia and the Carolinas.
Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. Hurricane-force winds lashed the Gulf shoreline in the low-lying coastal area known for powdery white-sand beaches dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars, and seafood shacks.
“The storm is here. Buckle down at this point. Don’t be getting out on the roads,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Friday.
Roads in Destin were flooded, while in nearby Pensacola, police warned residents to stay off the streets because of debris across roadways. While the extent of the damage was not immediately known, many area residents posted pictures online of downed trees and power lines, and one social media video showed a roof being ripped off an inn in Pensacola.
Some Panhandle counties temporarily suspended emergency response Friday night because of dangerous conditions.
Parts of southern Alabama also were flooded, with officials in Mobile reporting downed trees and power lines. Roads in Houston County, which is in the southeastern corner of the state, were closed because of similar conditions.
More than 726,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power early Saturday, according to poweroutage.com.
Tim Mowry, who rode out the storm from his home in Pensacola, said the wind was so intense it sounded like a train whistle as it whipped through a crack in his patio door. He lost power around 4:30 p.m. but was able to rely on a generator. Standing water also covered his backyard, and parts of his fence were ripped down, but overall he said the storm wasn’t as bad as he expected.
“As far as Pensacola-wise, we really got fortunate,” Mowry said.
Mowry said his son, who lives about 15 minutes away, tried to drive to his home after losing power but had to turn around because downed trees and power lines blocked the roads.
Despite weakening, heavy rain is forecast as Isaias moves inland, with 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) or even more expected through the weekend from southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, and southwest Georgia.
Isaias, the first hurricane to hit the eastern U.S. since Milton tore up the Gulf Coast of Florida in 2024, is also expected to bring heavy rain and potential flooding to much of the Southeast over the weekend, then to parts of the Midwest and Northeast into Monday.
The storm also grounded most Friday flights at several panhandle airports, including all flights into and out of Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, scrapped his plans to attend Saturday’s football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He said he didn’t want to disrupt emergency response efforts.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Simon strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane as it approached Mexico’s coast.
Tropical Storm Rachel was also expected to bring heavy winds and rain to northern Mexico and Southern California over the weekend.
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Megnien reported from Panama City, Florida, Golden reported from Seattle, and Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Seth Borenstein and Collin Binkley in Washington; Rio Yamat in Las Vegas; Gerald Herbert in Pensacola, Florida; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; and Laura Turbay in Little Rock, Arkansas contributed to this report.