Deadly Storms Leave Hundreds of Thousands Without Power Across the US

FLORIDA, United States — Hurricane Isaias has left a trail of destruction across the southeastern United States, killing at least four people and knocking out electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses after making landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast. The storm came ashore near Destin, Florida, on October 9 as a Category 2 hurricane, bringing powerful winds, heavy rainfall and a dangerous storm surge. It subsequently weakened as it moved inland, but its effects continued to disrupt communities across Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

Approximately 670,000 electricity customers were without power across the four states in the immediate aftermath of the storm, according to Reuters. The number of outages subsequently declined as utility crews began restoring electricity.

At least four deaths have been linked to Hurricane Isaias, according to authorities and news reports. Two of the reported fatalities involved trees falling on homes, while another person in Florida died in an incident involving a generator operating inside a closed garage. Officials have warned residents against using fuel-powered generators indoors or in enclosed spaces because the resulting carbon monoxide can cause fatal poisoning.

Strong winds brought down trees and power lines, making roads dangerous and complicating emergency response efforts. In Houston County, Alabama, authorities temporarily closed roads because of hazardous debris and fallen electrical lines. Emergency crews continued assessing damage and clearing affected areas as conditions gradually improved.

Florida and Alabama experienced some of the most significant electricity disruptions. In the immediate aftermath of landfall, approximately 420,000 customers in Florida and 190,000 in Alabama were without power. Additional outages affected Georgia and Mississippi.

Florida officials made electricity restoration a priority, deploying utility workers and coordinating with emergency management agencies. More than 16,000 utility workers had been prepared to respond to storm-related damage, according to reporting by Reuters. By October 12, more than 149,000 customers in Florida alone were still without electricity, highlighting the scale of the recovery effort. The outages disrupted daily life, with residents facing difficulties accessing essential services, operating businesses and keeping food and medicine refrigerated.

Although Isaias weakened after moving inland, the storm continued to produce hazardous weather across parts of the Southeast. Heavy rainfall increased the risk of flash flooding, while strong winds and tornado threats prompted additional warnings in affected areas. Some communities faced blocked roads and damaged infrastructure, slowing recovery operations.

The National Weather Service also scheduled preliminary storm-damage surveys to assess the extent of wind damage and storm-surge impacts in affected areas of Florida and Alabama. Forecasters expected conditions to improve as the system moved farther inland and weakened, although residents were advised to remain alert to local weather warnings and avoid damaged infrastructure.

The hurricane also disrupted parts of the Gulf of Mexico’s oil and natural gas industry. Offshore operations were affected as companies assessed conditions and worked to protect personnel and facilities.

Reuters reported that significant portions of Gulf oil and gas production had been temporarily shut down in response to the storm. The U.S. Department of Energy also authorized the release of up to four million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help address supply disruptions. The extent to which these interruptions would affect energy prices depended on how quickly offshore operations and transportation networks could return to normal.

State and local authorities continued coordinating cleanup operations, infrastructure assessments and electricity restoration following the storm. Emergency agencies urged residents to stay away from downed power lines, avoid flooded roads and follow instructions from local officials. Residents using generators were also reminded to operate them outdoors and away from windows and doors.

While Isaias had weakened significantly from its strength at landfall, the widespread outages and infrastructure damage underscored the continuing risks posed by powerful storms. Officials continued to assess the damage as affected communities worked to restore essential services and return to normal conditions.