Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin on Friday, Oct. 9, as a Category 2 storm with 105 mph winds, and the Panhandle is now in the early stages of a recovery that officials say could stretch for weeks or even months. Gusts reached 116 mph in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, downing trees and cutting power to roughly 600,000 customers across Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. By Monday afternoon, utilities had restored service to more than 70% of those customers.
The response has been substantial. The Florida National Guard has about 5,000 personnel activated and has completed 48 of 72 assigned missions. Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Pensacola on Monday to highlight state resources. Boil water notices remain in effect in seven counties, so residents and travelers should check local advisories before using tap water. Walmart has committed $1 million in funding and supplies, and is offering free meals, showers, laundry, Wi-Fi and charging at participating locations.
For those of us on the Suncoast, this hits close to home. We know hurricane season, we know red tide, and we know what it feels like to watch a storm track and hope it turns. The Panhandle is our neighbor, and the recovery ahead is long. If you have family or friends in the region, check on them. If you want to help, aid groups are distributing supplies across the affected counties.
Do you have people in the Panhandle you’ve been trying to reach? Let us know in the comments.
