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Hurricane Isaias: Four dead and thousands without power in US Southeast

Door Al Jazeera Staff

Hurricane Isaias, the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, has killed at least four people and left hundreds of thousands of customers without power across the southeastern United States.

The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday evening as a Category 2 hurricane before weakening as it moved inland through Alabama overnight.

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Two people died in Alabama, and two died in Florida. Local authorities said one death in Florida was caused by trees falling during the storm.

Isaias hit land with sustained winds of 169km/h (105mph), bringing powerful gusts and heavy rain to the Florida Panhandle. By Saturday morning, the storm had weakened to a post-tropical cyclone with wind speeds of about 55km/h (35mph).

People relax in a hotel lobby during a power outage ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Isaias, in Pensacola, Florida, US, October 9, 2026. REUTERS/Marco Bello — Relaxing in a hotel lobby in Pensacola, Florida during a power outage before the arrival of Hurricane Isaias, October 9, 2026 [Marco Bello/Reuters]

More than 900,000 electricity customers in Florida, Alabama and Georgia were without power early Saturday morning. That number has since gone down to less than 700,000, according to PowerOutage.us.

Fallen trees and downed power lines caused widespread disruption, while flooding forced road closures in parts of southern Alabama, including Houston County. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said on Saturday morning that her team was concerned about “strong winds, heavy rain and possible spinoff tornadoes”.

Local officials in Pensacola, Florida reported strong winds that damaged an airport and tore the roof off a hotel. Trees and power lines also came down across the city, leaving some residents without electricity and roads blocked.

People look at wind, rain, and flying debris from a hotel lobby during a power outage ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Isaias, in Pensacola, Florida, US, October 9, 2026. REUTERS/Marco Bello — Wind, rain, and flying debris as seen from a hotel lobby in Pensacola, Florida on Friday before the hurricane hit [Marco Bello/Reuters]

Despite the storm’s weakening, officials warned that dangerous conditions could persist. Heavy rainfall threatened flash flooding across parts of the Southeast.

“The flooding story is not over,” DeSantis said on Saturday, warning that saturated ground and continued rainfall could cause dangerous flooding a day or two after the storm passed. He said state search and rescue resources would remain available in case rapidly rising waters required emergency rescues.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also warned residents to be alert for contractors seeking to exploit storm victims as homeowners begin repairing damaged properties.

Florida Power & Light worker Yosvany Quintero clears downed tree limbs caused by the effects of Isaias on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in East Milton, Fla. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones) — Florida Power & Light worker Yosvany Quintero clears downed tree branches on Saturday [Octavio Jones/AP]

The US Energy Department announced on Saturday that it will release up to four million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as an emergency exchange meant to address the disruption of supply caused by Hurricane Isaias.

“With this emergency exchange, the Energy Department is acting swiftly to help maintain refinery operations, limit disruptions to fuel supplies, and ensure American families and businesses continue to have access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy,” Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in a statement.