At least 4 dead as ‘Isaias’ drenches southern US
PENSACOLA—Four people died in the southeastern United States as post-Tropical Cyclone “Isaias” threatened flooding and tornado risks on Saturday as it moved northward after making landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Isaias roared ashore late Friday as a Category 2 hurricane near the resort community of Destin, packing sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour before weakening overnight, the National Hurricane Center said.
It was the first hurricane of an Atlantic season tamed by a historic El Niño weather phenomenon, and the first hurricane since 2024 to hit the US mainland.
In Mary Esther, a coastal community near Destin, Matt Howard said he was fortunate the storm weakened ahead of landfall.
Despite losing power and having his neighbor’s metal shed crash into his backyard, “overall, we were okay,” he told Agence France Presse (AFP).
“We hunkered down, got in the center of our house, and did all the things you’re supposed to do, and luckily came out on the other side,” he said.
Devastation
Officials reported at least four deaths related to the storm, including two from trees falling on homes—one near Pensacola in Florida and another in Birmingham, Alabama.
AFP reporters saw overturned vehicles, downed trees and power lines and numerous buildings with damaged roofs.
Streets along the coast were largely deserted after authorities ordered mandatory evacuations ahead of the storm.
