Hurricane Isaias kills four and causes widespread power outages in US

At least four people have died after Hurricane Isaias made landfall in the southeastern United States on Friday evening, according to reports from BBC News, rte.ie, and Al Jazeera. Officials in Alabama and Florida confirmed two deaths in each state, BBC News and Al Jazeera reported. Local media and authorities reported that fallen trees on houses caused at least two of the fatalities, according to BBC News, rte.ie, and Al Jazeera. [1][3][4]

The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph before weakening as it moved inland through Alabama, according to BBC News and Al Jazeera. The powerful winds felled trees and ripped roofs off buildings across the affected areas, BBC News reported. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Isaias was the first Atlantic hurricane of the season. [1][4][12]

The cyclone left widespread blackouts across several states, though outlets reported varying numbers of affected residents. Tracker PowerOutage recorded at least 500,000 people without power by Saturday evening, BBC News reported. Meanwhile, rte.ie reported about 670,000 residents without power across Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, while ABC News Australia put the total number at about 800,000. [1][3][6]

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that no requests for search and rescue assistance had been received following the storm, calling it a good sign, according to The Guardian. Officials have warned of continued flooding and potential tornadoes as the system moves inland, Al Jazeera reported. [4][5]