(The Center Square) – Two people were killed and another injured as Hurricane Isaias brought damaging winds, falling trees and widespread power outages across the Southeast, with emergency crews beginning recovery efforts Saturday.
In Escambia County, Florida, a woman died after a tree fell on her, Sheriff Chip W. Simmons confirmed in a Facebook post Saturday morning. In Jefferson County, Alabama, a tree fell on a house, killing one and injuring another.
More than 858,000 homes and businesses were without power Saturday morning, according to PowerOutage.us. Florida reported 436,147 outages, followed by Alabama with 297,684 and Georgia with 95,162.
Wind gusts reached 117 mph near Oriole Beach, Florida, and 102 mph near Pensacola, according to The Weather Channel. Gusts of 75 mph were reported near Orange Beach, Alabama, and 68 mph in Warner Robins, Georgia. Bellwood, Alabama, recorded 12.97 inches of rain in 13 hours, while Destin, Florida, received 6.98 inches.
Emergency crews are working to clear debris, restore services and respond to emergency calls as communities assess storm damage. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office in Okaloosa, Florida, is warning residents that downed trees and power lines are blocking roads and urges them to avoid sightseeing so first responders and emergency crews can safely work.
Although Isaias is no longer classified as a tropical storm, parts of it continue to impact communities with dangerous winds and heavy rainfall. High winds warnings stretch from central Georgia into parts of Virginia, including areas near Atlanta, Athens, Greenville, Tampa, Charlotte, Nashville and Cincinnati.
Flooding remains a concern from Florida to Ohio with many areas expected to receive 3 to 5 inches of rain and some forecasted to receive up to 10 inches.
Authorities are advising residents to avoid damaged roads and downed power lines and follow local safety guidelines as recovery efforts continue.