At least four people have died in the southern United States as a result of Tropical Storm Isaias, which left around 600,000 homes and businesses without electricity in several areas of the region on Saturday evening.
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The victims were struck by falling trees, while strong winds and fallen trees caused extensive damage, particularly in Florida and Alabama. In Alabama, the storm caused property damage and power outages. Governor Kay Ivey confirmed the consequences of the severe weather, while authorities continued to monitor developments.
Isaias weakened after making landfall in Florida, but brought heavy rainfall and powerful winds along the Gulf of Mexico coast. The US National Hurricane Center announced that the storm lost even more intensity over Alabama and became a post-tropical cyclone.
Authorities nevertheless warned that the danger persisted. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said water levels could still rise in some areas, while rainfall of between 10 and 20 centimeters was forecast for the weekend.
Forecasts indicated that the storm was moving north and northeast and would weaken further as it passed through the Tennessee and Ohio river valleys. Before losing strength, Isaias had reached Category 2 hurricane status and brought winds of up to 165 kilometers per hour.
Florida and Alabama declared states of emergency and ordered evacuations in areas at risk because of destructive winds, high waves and intense rainfall.
The storm also affected the energy sector. On Saturday, airports in Florida temporarily halted operations, while oil platform workers were evacuated to shore. Several natural gas production facilities had suspended operations since Friday. The threat also affected an area with several refineries, increasing pressure on the energy sector.
As part of the response to the extreme weather, the US Department of Energy approved the release of up to four million barrels of oil from the US Strategic Reserve. Meanwhile, other storm systems were being monitored in the Pacific Ocean, while in Mexico measures were taken to evacuate residents from vulnerable coastal areas.
