GULF BREEZE, Fla. – The Florida Panhandle is beginning a somber recovery effort in the wake of Hurricane Isaias, as Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed Saturday that the storm has claimed two lives.
Isaias, which made landfall near Destin as a Category 2 hurricane at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday, brought significant structural damage, widespread power outages, and life-threatening conditions to the region. While the storm has since been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, officials are warning that the danger is far from over.
Governor DeSantis addressed the state Saturday afternoon, highlighting two tragic, storm-related fatalities. In Escambia County, a resident was killed when a tree collapsed onto their home. In a separate incident, another individual died due to carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator inside a garage.
“Don’t run any generators inside your home or inside your garage,” DeSantis urged residents. “That has to go outside the structure. Otherwise, it can be very, very hazardous.”
Beyond the loss of life, the storm left a massive trail of infrastructure damage. As of 2:30 p.m. Saturday, more than 430,000 customers across Florida remained without electricity. Florida Power & Light accounts for the bulk of those outages, with the remainder handled by local electric cooperatives. While crews are actively working to clear debris and restore lines, the process remains slow in the hardest-hit areas.
While the winds have subsided, the threat of flooding remains the primary concern for emergency managers. Officials noted that regional rivers, including the Shoal River in Okaloosa County, are expected to continue rising over the coming days.
“The risk of flooding is still high,” DeSantis said. “Sometimes these things happen a day or two days after the storm goes through. So the flooding story is not over.”
Jared Perdue, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, warned citizens to avoid driving through standing or flowing water, noting that even shallow water can sweep away vehicles and people. Search-and-rescue teams remain on standby as the state monitors river crests.
On the ground, damage is visible across the Panhandle. In Pensacola, hurricane-force winds peeled the roof off a hotel, while downtown businesses reported power failures and minor structural damage. In Destin, the storm flattened a boathouse and caused significant street flooding.
Transportation hubs are also working to resume normal operations. While Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport has reopened to commercial traffic, Pensacola International and Destin-Fort Walton Beach airports remained closed to commercial service as of Saturday afternoon.
National Hurricane Center forecasters continue to warn that Isaias’s remnants will bring an additional 4 to 8 inches of rain to parts of the Panhandle and southern Alabama. Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution, stay clear of downed power lines, and monitor local authorities for further instructions as the storm tracks toward the Tennessee Valley and the mid-Atlantic.
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