Hurricane Isaias killed four people and left at least 600,000 without electricity after striking the southern United States with powerful winds and heavy rain. Alabama, Florida and Georgia declared states of emergency before the storm arrived, and Florida and Alabama ordered thousands of residents to evacuate.
Isaias reached Florida late Friday with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (168 km/h) before weakening into a post-tropical cyclone. Fallen trees damaged homes, including in Florida’s Escambia County, where two people died. One woman was killed when a tree fell onto her house, while a man died from carbon monoxide poisoning after a generator was operated in an improperly ventilated garage. Four others from that home were taken to hospital.
Flooding forced rescuers to reach people trapped in vehicles. Florida National Guard soldiers swam to a truck stuck in a flooded ditch and pulled its occupants to safety. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that flooding remained a serious danger.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey confirmed two deaths in the state without providing further details. A sheriff was injured when a tree struck him while he responded to a car crash, and officials warned that strong winds and heavy rain could produce tornadoes. Forecasts called for up to 10 inches (25cm) of rain in parts of the Carolinas and Georgia as the weakening storm moved north-east.