2 dead from storm as Isaias brings threat of flash floods across the Southeast

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — A powerful hurricane named Isaias swept across the Florida Panhandle and into the Southeast on Saturday, causing widespread damage and multiple fatalities. The storm brought torrential rains, flash flood threats, and tornado warnings to the region. Two people lost their lives in Florida and Alabama when trees fell onto their homes. Nearly 700,000 customers across four states were left without power by midday.

Isaias made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane near Destin, Florida, on Friday, causing extensive damage to hotel and condominium rooftops and facades. The storm weakened overnight and downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, but its effects continued as flood watches were issued for parts of the southeastern U.S. and southern Appalachians. Despite warnings of life-threatening storm surges, some major routes along the coast remained open and free of damage.

In Escambia County, Florida, one woman died when a tree fell on her home. Nearby, Jayme Mitich surveyed the damage to her apartment, with her living room soaked and covered in insulation and broken beams. The storm uprooted trees and flipped vehicles, leading to closed roads and power outages.

In Alabama, another fatality occurred when a tree fell on a house in Birmingham. The storm weakened tropical-force winds overnight and continued to bring heavy rain to parts of Georgia and the Carolinas, with up to 10 inches of rain possible in some areas. The National Hurricane Center warned of continued flood watches in the region.