Hurricane Isaias came ashore near Destin Friday night as a Category 2 storm with 105 mph winds, and the damage stretches across the Florida Panhandle and into Alabama. Two people died in separate incidents when falling trees crushed their homes, one in Escambia County and one in Birmingham. Hundreds of thousands of customers are without power, and flooded roads, downed trees and wind damage have been reported in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, East Milton and Pensacola.
Power restoration is already ramping up. Alabama Power is bringing in more than 5,000 crews from nearly 25 states, and more than 140 American Red Cross volunteers have deployed along the Gulf Coast to support relief efforts. Flooding and high surf threats continue for the Panhandle as the storm tracks north.
For those of us on the Suncoast, this is a good moment to check in with family and friends in the affected region and to review your own storm plans. If you own property in the Panhandle, document all damage with photos before cleanup begins. That documentation matters when you file an insurance claim. If you’d like to help, the Red Cross is accepting donations and volunteers.
Do you have family or property in the Destin or Pensacola area? Let us know how they’re doing in the comments.
