Hurricane Isaias kills at least 3 as power crisis leaves nearly a million in the dark

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA: Deadly Hurricane Isaias has left communities across the southeastern United States dealing with fatalities, damaged homes and widespread electricity outages after powerful winds and flooding battered the region. 

At least three people have died in Alabama and Florida, while emergency crews are working to restore essential services and help residents affected by the storm.

Isaias reached Florida late on Friday, October 9, after generating winds of up to 120 mph.

Although the storm has since weakened from its peak Category 3 strength, its impact continues to be felt across several states, with Alabama, Georgia and Florida declaring emergencies.

Alabama reports two deaths

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey confirmed that two people in her state had died as Isaias swept through the region.

She did not immediately provide details about the circumstances surrounding both deaths.

The storm brought strong winds and heavy rain to Alabama, damaging property, toppling trees and disrupting electricity supplies.

As recovery efforts got underway, Ivey announced that the mandatory evacuation requirement for non-residents had been lifted. 

Major roads, including the Intracoastal Waterway, had reopened, although some routes remained inaccessible.

The governor urged residents to remain cautious while crews cleared debris and assessed damage.

With fallen trees and damaged infrastructure creating hazards, officials have continued to emphasize safety during the cleanup.

Guard soldiers pull people from flooded car

Florida, where Isaias made landfall, has faced extensive damage and dangerous flooding.

The Florida National Guard shared images of soldiers rescuing people from a vehicle that had become submerged in a flooded ditch.

The troops were traveling from Tallahassee when they encountered the stranded vehicle, according to the Guard’s account.

Soldiers entered the water and pulled the occupants to safety.

“Saving lives!” the National Guard wrote in its social media update, describing how its personnel stopped to assist those trapped inside.

The rescue was one part of a wider emergency response across Florida, where Guard members have also been helping clear roads obstructed by fallen trees.

The state has reported one death linked to a tree falling on a house.

Governor Ron DeSantis said some counties had experienced outages affecting more than 80% of customers.

Power outage impacts states

Power failures have emerged as one of the storm’s most widespread consequences.

Outage figures were changing as utilities assessed damage and restoration work progressed, but reports put the combined number of affected customers in the hardest-hit states at just under 840,000.

Florida accounted for the largest share, with more than 438,000 customers without electricity.

Alabama had over 251,000 outages, while Georgia reported slightly more than 91,000.

Utilities have warned that conditions on the ground are making repairs difficult.

Alabama Power said intense rainfall and strong winds had created “challenging conditions for restoration,” while Georgia Power said crews were assessing damage and carrying out repairs where it was safe to do so.

The disruption has also extended beyond the three states reporting the heaviest outages.

Even without a direct hit from Hurricane Isaias, North Carolina saw power outages affect more than 12,400 households.

Emergency personnel are continuing rescue and recovery operations while utility workers attempt to reconnect homes and businesses.