
Hurricane Isaias is ravaging the southeast, with 105mph winds leaving communities devastated, travel plans disrupted nationwide, 900,000 homes across the country without power and damage resulting in one fatality.Â
The monster storm slammed into the Florida Panhandle near Destin at around 8.30pm as a Category two hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 105mph. Just 30 minutes later, its winds had fallen to 85mph, but the storm continued to wreak havoc along the Gulf Coast.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in a Saturday morning update that the storm did not reach Category 3 as anticipated, and search-and-rescue teams have not yet been deployed, but he warned that flooding and damage could cause injuries or deaths.Â
‘There tends to be injuries and, unfortunately, deaths in the days after [a significant storm],’ DeSantis said. He advised residents to stay off the streets, avoid downed power lines and report flooding to local authorities.Â
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Saturday morning that there was one fatality after a tree fell on a woman’s home.Â
Roads in Destin flooded, while in nearby Pensacola, police warned residents to stay off the streets because debris covered the roadways. Floridians posted pictures online of downed trees and power lines, and one social media video showed the harrowing moments a roof was ripped off an inn.Â
Some Panhandle counties temporarily suspended emergency response Friday night because of dangerous conditions. Parts of southern Alabama also were flooded, with officials reporting downed trees and power lines.
In the overnight hours on Saturday, the storm downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone. The storm has disrupted travel plans nationwide, with nearly 300 flights canceled and more than 800 delayed.Â
Eglin AFB/Destin-Ft Walton Beach International Airport and Pensacola International each saw over 80 per cent of flights canceled on Saturday.Â
Florida has been hit hardest by power outages, leaving over 420,000 homes in the dark, while more than 327,000 were left without power in Alabama.Â
Over 125,000 homes were without power in Georgia, 5,900 in California and about 2,000 in Texas, South Carolina and Washington, according to the live power outage tracker, PowerOutage.us.Â
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Governor Ron DeSantis warns of deaths in coming days
WATCH: Shocking footage of roofs ripped off in Florida in Isaias’ wrath
Travel plans disrupted nationwide
PHOTOS: Damage in Pensacola
