Four dead as Hurricane Isaias weakens after hitting Florida panhandle

At least four people died after Hurricane Isaias made landfall late on Friday on the Florida panhandle as a category 2 hurricane. The Guardian and BBC News both reported that the storm brought heavy rain and strong winds before weakening to a post-tropical cyclone. According to BBC News, the storm made landfall with maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour. [1][2][3][4]

Officials reported two deaths each in Florida and Alabama, according to BBC News. Some of the deaths occurred when falling trees crushed houses during the storm. The Guardian reported that the storm also flooded highways, took down trees, and tore roofs off buildings across the impacted region. [1][3]

Power outages affected at least 500,000 people across several southeastern states by Saturday evening, according to the tracking service PowerOutage cited by BBC News. The Guardian reported that half a million people were without power. BBC News also reported that emergency declarations were issued in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. [1][3][4]

The National Hurricane Center stated that Isaias weakened rapidly over Alabama and transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone, according to Phys.org. BBC News noted that Isaias is the first storm of the 2026 Atlantic season. Despite earlier warnings of severe storm surges, several major coastal transportation routes reopened by Saturday morning. [1][2][4]