Hurricane Isaias hits Florida Panhandle, leaving about 260,000 customers without power
Category 2 Hurricane Isaias came ashore in Florida near the city of Destin on Friday evening with winds of around 169 kph. US forecasters warn of a life-threatening storm surge and flooding across much of the southeastern United States.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall on Friday evening on the coast of the US state of Florida, close to the city of Destin in the Florida Panhandle, the state's north-western strip. The Category 2 storm brought winds of about 105 mph (around 169 kph). It poses a danger to residents across much of the southeastern US, with a hazardous storm surge, strong winds and heavy rain expected.
Damage and power outages
Video footage shared on social media shows strong winds and rain lashing the area. In one clip from Pensacola, on the coast near Destin, a hotel appears to have lost its roof. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters that around 260,000 customers were without power when the storm made landfall. The outages stretch from Pensacola to Panama City and the state capital, Tallahassee. He said restoration crews would be mobilised once the storm had passed.
Forecasters' warnings
The US National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that a life-threatening storm surge is expected from Dauphin Island in Alabama to Suwannee in Florida. It urged residents in the warning area to keep following the advice of local officials.
In a late Friday update, the agency said extremely dangerous and damaging hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, were expected over parts of the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama, where a Hurricane Warning remains in effect. Residents there were advised to have a safe room in which to ride out the storm and to prepare for long-lasting power cuts.
Weekend outlook
Strong winds are likely across large parts of the southeastern US, while Isaias is also expected to bring heavy rainfall to the wider region over the weekend. The NWS said considerable flash and urban flooding and significant river flooding are possible, and landslides could also occur across the Southern Appalachians.
