States across the Gulf Coast and Southeast, including Florida, Alabama and Georgia, have declared states of emergency and issued evacuation orders as Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Thursday, with rainfall of up to 15 inches possible in some areas along the northern Gulf Coast.
Ron DeSantis Declares Emergency in 27 Counties
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) issued a statement on Thursday, declaring a state of emergency in 27 counties across Florida, saying that the Hurricane’s maximum wind speeds will reach 110 mph before the storm makes its “landfall in the extreme Western Panhandle Friday night or early Saturday morning.”
DeSantis declared a state of emergency in counties including Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, as well as Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton and Columbia counties.
On the other hand, Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) declared a state of emergency across all of the state’s 159 counties. “I encourage all Georgians to take this storm seriously,” Kemp said in an official statement.
He also urged people to stock up on “food, batteries, flashlights, water, and other necessities in case of severe weather impacting communities Friday night through Saturday.”
Alabama Issues Evacuation Orders
Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL), in a video statement on Thursday, said that the Hurricane will hit Alabama “as early as Friday,” adding that she had issued a state of emergency for 40 counties in the state. She announced closures of state offices and buildings in counties like Baldwin, Coffee, Covington, Dale and Escambia and more.
Ivey said that Alabama was “requiring all tourists and visitors in Baldwin County south of the Gulf Coast ICW, as well as those in Dauphin Island in Mobile County, to evacuate immediately.”
FAA Warns of Delays
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned that Hurricane Isaias “could affect travel in the Gulf Coast and Southeast through the weekend” via a post on the social media platform X on Thursday.
“You may experience delays and cancellations as we work to get you to your destination safely,” FAA said, urging travelers to review airline announcements for flight statuses.
According to a report by CNN on Thursday, Amtrak suspended or modified services along parts of the Gulf Coast, including the Mardi Gras and Crescent routes.
Forbes reported on Thursday that airlines like American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) and JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) waived change fees for travelers on Friday and Saturday for different parts of the affected states, including Tampa, New Orleans, Mobile, Panama City, Huntsville and more.
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) also issued waivers for travelers, but Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) did not mention waived change fees, the report said.
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