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South Florida rescue crews head home after Isaias response in Panhandle
Hurricane Isaias killed at least four people and caused widespread damage after striking Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 2 storm. Two South Florida task forces deployed to help residents in the Panhandle are expected back Monday afternoon.
South Florida rescue teams are returning home Monday after helping residents in the Panhandle recover from Hurricane Isaias, a Category 2 storm that killed at least four people and caused widespread damage across the Southeast.
Florida Task Force Two was expected back around 2 p.m., followed by Florida Task Force One around 3 p.m., according to Miami-Dade County emergency response information. During the deployment, Task Force Two used airboats and all-terrain vehicles to reach residents in Mossy Head, where roads were flooded.
Isaias made landfall near Destin late Friday with winds reaching 110 mph. The Florida Panhandle sustained some of the worst damage, including uprooted trees, downed power lines, heavy rain and damaged gas stations. A home under construction in the Pensacola area was knocked down to its foundation.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state intends to seek federal disaster assistance after counties finish assessing the damage. Federal Emergency Management Agency officials are evaluating the destruction and the needs of affected residents, including whether temporary housing may be needed.
The storm’s effects stretched beyond Florida. Two people died in Alabama when a tree fell on their home, while DeSantis confirmed two storm-related deaths in Florida. A tornado was captured on video in southwest Georgia, and heavy rain flooded a road in Chimney Rock, North Carolina. Strong winds overturned several vehicles, including a semitruck, in a Fayetteville parking lot.
In Georgia’s DeKalb County, homeowner Andrea Corbett said she panicked when she could no longer see out her window as the storm passed. She said she eventually called 911.
As local recovery work continues, the damage assessments will help determine whether federal aid is warranted. DeSantis said Florida would submit a disaster declaration request once county officials provide their findings.