Hurricane Isaias leaves two dead and 800,000 without power in US Southeast

The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday evening as a Category 2 hurricane before weakening as it moved inland through Alabama overnight.

One person died in Birmingham, Alabama, when a tree fell on a house overnight, according to local emergency officials. A second person was killed in Escambia County, Florida, after a tree fell during the storm, according to local authorities.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Saturday that state officials had not confirmed any storm-related fatalities, including the report from Escambia County.

Isaias hit land with sustained winds of 169km/h (105mph), bringing powerful gusts and heavy rain to the Florida Panhandle. By Saturday morning, the storm had weakened to a post-tropical cyclone with wind speeds of about 55km/h (35mph).

Fallen trees and downed power lines caused widespread disruption, while flooding forced road closures in parts of southern Alabama, including Houston County. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said on Saturday morning that her team was concerned about “strong winds, heavy rain and possible spinoff tornadoes”.

Local officials in Pensacola, Florida reported strong winds that damaged an airport and tore the roof off a hotel. Trees and power lines also came down across the city, leaving some residents without electricity and roads blocked.

“The flooding story is not over,” DeSantis said on Saturday, warning that saturated ground and continued rainfall could cause dangerous flooding a day or two after the storm passed. He said state search and rescue resources would remain available in case rapidly rising waters required emergency rescues.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also warned residents to be alert for contractors seeking to exploit storm victims as homeowners begin repairing damaged properties.