Hurricane Isaias kills at least four and cuts power to hundreds of thousands across the southeastern US

Hurricane Isaias, the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday evening as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105mph (169km/h) before weakening as it moved inland over Alabama, according to the US National Hurricane Center. ABC News Australia, the BBC and Al Jazeera reported at least four deaths, two in Florida and two in Alabama, while an NBC News headline reported at least two people dead. Hundreds of thousands of electricity customers across Florida, Alabama and Georgia lost power, with tracking firm PowerOutage.us cited by several outlets. Florida, Alabama and Georgia declared states of emergency, and officials warned that storm surge, flash flooding, damaging winds and possible tornadoes remained a risk across parts of the Southeast.

Deaths were reported in Florida's Escambia County and in Alabama. Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons confirmed two storm-related fatalities, saying a tree fell on a house and killed a woman, and later reporting that a man died from carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator, according to ABC News Australia and the BBC. The BBC reported that four other people in the same house were taken to hospital. ABC News Australia said three people in Alabama and Florida were killed by falling trees, citing local media and authorities. BBC reported that two people died in each of Alabama and Florida, including people killed when trees fell on their houses. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said two Alabamians had lost their lives but did not give the circumstances, according to the BBC. Al Jazeera reported two deaths in Alabama and two in Florida, and said local authorities attributed one Florida death to falling trees. The BBC also reported that Joey Williams told NewsNation his wife died after a tree fell through their roof; he said he was able to get out but his wife did not survive. The BBC additionally reported that a sheriff in Alabama was injured when a tree fell on him while he was responding to a car crash.

Power outage figures differed between outlets. ABC News Australia reported that more than 430,000 customers in Florida, over 280,000 in Alabama and some 100,000 in Georgia lost power as the storm hit shore, citing PowerOutage.us, and that about 800,000 residents of the three states were without power. The BBC reported at least 600,000 people were without power in several states as of Saturday afternoon, citing tracker PowerOutage. Al Jazeera reported more than 900,000 electricity customers in Florida, Alabama and Georgia were without power early Saturday morning, a figure it said had since fallen to less than 700,000, citing PowerOutage.us. The Jerusalem Post reported more than 412,000 people in Florida and nearly 243,000 in Alabama lost power as the storm hit shore, citing PowerOutage.us.

The National Hurricane Center warned of possible storm surges, urban and river flooding and flash floods across the region, with considerable impacts likely across much of southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and into southwest Georgia, according to The Jerusalem Post. Al Jazeera reported that by Saturday morning the storm had weakened to a post-tropical cyclone with wind speeds of about 55km/h (35mph), while The Jerusalem Post, citing the NHC, said the post-tropical cyclone was about 55 miles (89km) south-southwest of Montgomery, Alabama, with maximum sustained winds of 65mph (100km/h) and was expected to cross Alabama into the Tennessee Valley over the weekend. ABC News Australia said the storm rapidly lost wind speed after hitting the Florida coast and was expected to produce gusty winds well inland before weakening below gale force later on Saturday, and that the tornado threat was expected to continue across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and the Carolinas. The BBC reported that NOAA warned the Carolinas and Georgia could see flooding from up to 10 inches (25cm) of rainfall, and that officials in Charleston, South Carolina asked people to stay home on Saturday night as high tide was expected to reach 7.5ft (2.3m). The New York Post reported a storm surge warning from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Florida's Suwannee River and a hurricane warning from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida, forecast inundation of 6 to 9 feet east of the landfall point, and rainfall of 4 to 8 inches with isolated totals up to 15 inches. It also cited Fox Weather for a gust of 116mph and 91mph sustained winds near Santa Rosa Sound, and a 100mph gust near Pensacola.

Alabama, Florida and Georgia declared states of emergency ahead of the storm's arrival, according to the BBC, which also reported that Florida and Alabama issued mandatory evacuation orders to thousands of people. ABC News Australia reported that emergency declarations were approved in Florida and Alabama so federal resources would be available, and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on X that emergency declarations had been approved in Florida and Alabama to ensure federal resources were available to respond to Isaias. The Jerusalem Post reported that Alabama's Emergency Management Agency warned residents of likely widespread damage and power outages and that all actions to protect property should have been completed in the southern half of Alabama and across the northern half by 10pm, and that the Florida division of emergency management extended a tornado watch for parts of North Florida until Saturday morning. Al Jazeera reported road closures in southern Alabama including Houston County, and that local officials in Pensacola reported strong winds that damaged an airport and tore the roof off a hotel.

President Donald Trump, asked about hurricane preparations on Friday, told reporters outside the White House it was "under control," according to ABC News Australia; The Jerusalem Post reported Trump said preparations were "under control" and added "We are watching it very closely." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said authorities had received no search and rescue requests shortly after landfall, a sign of limited impact, and that power restoration was marked as a priority, with 16,000 utility linemen prepared to respond, according to ABC News Australia. Al Jazeera quoted DeSantis saying "The flooding story is not over" and warning that saturated ground and continued rainfall could cause dangerous flooding a day or two after the storm passed, and that state search and rescue resources would remain available. Al Jazeera also reported that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier warned residents to be alert for contractors seeking to exploit storm victims, and that the US Energy Department announced it would release up to four million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as an emergency exchange, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright saying the department was acting to help maintain refinery operations, limit disruptions to fuel supplies and ensure continued access to affordable, reliable and secure energy. ABC News Australia reported that oil and gas producer Shell said it was beginning to redeploy personnel to its Mars, Olympus, Ursa, Vito and Appomattox assets in the Gulf.

The BBC reported that in addition to Isaias, Tropical Storm Rachel was expected to hit southern California later on Saturday and Hurricane Simon would hit the Pacific coast of Mexico on Sunday, and that Isaias was the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, which it said had largely been delayed due to El Nino conditions in the Pacific.

Where sources differ

• Death toll: ABC News Australia, the BBC and Al Jazeera reported at least four deaths (two in Florida and two in Alabama), while an NBC News headline reported at least two people dead.
• Landfall timing: ABC News Australia, the BBC, Al Jazeera and the New York Post described landfall on Friday evening (the New York Post citing about 9:30 p.m.), while The Jerusalem Post said Isaias made landfall on Thursday evening.
• Power outage totals: ABC News Australia reported about 800,000 without power (more than 430,000 in Florida, over 280,000 in Alabama, some 100,000 in Georgia); the BBC reported at least 600,000 as of Saturday afternoon; Al Jazeera reported more than 900,000 early Saturday, later less than 700,000; The Jerusalem Post reported more than 412,000 in Florida and nearly 243,000 in Alabama.
• Post-tropical cyclone wind speed: Al Jazeera reported about 55km/h (35mph) by Saturday morning, while The Jerusalem Post, citing the NHC, reported maximum sustained winds of 65mph (100km/h) with the system south-southwest of Montgomery.
• Storm intensity: The New York Post's text described landfall as a Category 2 storm with 105 mph winds, while a photo caption in the same report described a map showing Isaias as a Category 3 major hurricane with 120 mph winds.
• The Jerusalem Post separately stated the distance south-southwest of Montgomery as both 55 miles (89 km) and 55 miles (88.5 km).

• No source establishes a confirmed final death toll or a complete list of victims; Alabama's two deaths are not identified and their circumstances were not given by Governor Ivey.
• None of the sources clarifies the discrepancy over whether landfall occurred Thursday or Friday, or provides a single agreed timeline.
• No source reconciles the different power outage figures or gives a timetable for full restoration beyond officials' statements.
• No source states whether the carbon monoxide death and the deaths from falling trees or falling debris are counted within the reported totals.
• No source reports a named federal emergency management agency response, damage assessment totals, or insured losses.
• There is no reporting on the extent of impacts in Georgia beyond power outages.
• No source states whether mandatory evacuation orders were fully carried out or how many people complied.
• No source reports comment from the families of Alabama victims or from residents of Alabama beyond officials' statements.
• None of the sources explains the basis for the Category 3 and 120 mph figure appearing in a New York Post photo caption.

1. ABC News Australia — original — by Rex Siu
2. BBC World — by Madeline Halpert
3. NBC News — by NBC News
4. Al Jazeera English — by Al Jazeera Staff
5. The Jerusalem Post — by REUTERS
6. New York Post — by Daniel Cody

Read the original at ABC News Australia

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