Hurricane Isaias has killed four people and left hundreds of thousands without power after bringing strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the southern United States. Officials reported two deaths in Florida and two in Alabama as emergency teams worked to assess the damage and help residents.
About 500,000 people across several states were without electricity by Saturday evening, according to power outage tracking data. The storm brought down trees, damaged homes and ripped roofs from buildings. Some roads also flooded, leaving people trapped in vehicles.
Isaias made landfall in Florida late Friday with maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour, or 168 kilometres per hour. It later weakened and was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.
Florida, Alabama and Georgia had declared states of emergency before the storm arrived. Florida and Alabama also issued mandatory evacuation orders for thousands of people as officials warned of dangerous conditions.
In Florida, two storm-related deaths were reported in Escambia County. One victim was a woman who died after a tree fell on her home, according to local Sheriff Chip Simmons.
Her husband, Joey Williams, said the couple had gone outside to take pictures of the storm damage. When they returned indoors, a tree fell through the roof and trapped them.
Williams said he managed to escape, but his wife did not survive. The incident showed the danger that falling trees can pose even after people believe they are safely inside their homes.
Simmons later reported another death linked to the storm. A man died from carbon monoxide poisoning after a generator was run in a garage without proper ventilation. Four other people in the same house were taken to hospital.
Officials have warned people to use generators safely during power cuts. Generators should never run inside homes, garages or other enclosed spaces. Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that people cannot see or smell.
Flooding also forced emergency teams to rescue people from vehicles. The Florida National Guard shared details of a rescue involving a truck stuck in a flooded ditch. Soldiers entered the water and pulled the people inside the vehicle to safety.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that flooding remained a serious risk. He described the situation as very dangerous and urged people to take official warnings seriously.
Images from the state showed damage to homes and other buildings. In Milton, the roof of an apartment complex was blown off. A petrol station canopy also collapsed in Gulf Breeze as strong winds swept through the area.
Alabama also suffered damage and loss of life. A sheriff was injured when a tree fell on him while he was responding to a car crash.
Governor Kay Ivey confirmed that two people in Alabama had died. She did not provide further details about the circumstances of their deaths in her public statement.
Ivey also warned that strong winds and heavy rain could produce tornadoes in parts of the state. She urged residents to follow trusted weather reports and check for new warnings before making travel plans.
The storm’s effects were not limited to damaged buildings and power cuts. Fallen trees, blocked roads and flooded areas created extra work for emergency crews. Power outages also left many homes and businesses without electricity.
Meanwhile, other storms were threatening parts of North America. Hurricane Simon had strengthened to Category 4 in the Pacific Ocean and was moving toward Mexico’s Pacific coast. It was expected to make landfall overnight.
Tropical Storm Rachel was also forecast to affect southern California later on Saturday. Officials and residents were watching both systems as the risk of severe weather continued.
The deaths and widespread outages from Isaias highlight the dangers that powerful storms can bring. Emergency officials have urged residents to stay alert, avoid flooded roads and follow safety advice while crews work to restore services and assess the full extent of the damage.
