MONTGOMERY, AL – October 11, 2026 (STL.News) Alabama utility crews raced Sunday to restore electricity to thousands of homes and businesses after Hurricane Isaias swept across the Southeast, leaving at least two people dead in the state, damaging electrical infrastructure, uprooting trees, and forcing emergency officials to confront a recovery effort that could last weeks or months in some communities.
The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, Friday evening as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of about 105 mph, causing widespread destruction across parts of Alabama before weakening and moving north.
By Sunday evening, Alabama Power reported that more than 400,000 customers experienced an outage during the storm. However, crews had restored electricity to more than 95% of affected customers by 5 p.m., marking substantial progress in one of the state’s largest emergency power restoration operations of the year.
More than 7,400 additional restoration resources assisted Alabama Power as crews repaired damaged infrastructure, replaced equipment, and reconnected customers in communities where fallen trees and damaged power lines complicated recovery.
Although most customers had regained electricity, state officials warned that the hardest-hit areas still faced significant challenges.
Alabama Power Crews Make Major Restoration Progress
Alabama Power said its restoration teams were working throughout the weekend to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
The utility reported widespread damage across its service territory, including broken utility poles, damaged electrical equipment, and power lines brought down by falling trees.
The restoration process required crews to assess damaged infrastructure, remove hazardous debris and repair major electrical systems before reconnecting individual neighborhoods and properties.
According to the company’s Sunday update, crews restored more than 95% of customers who experienced an outage by 5 p.m.
That percentage reflects cumulative restoration progress, not the number of customers currently without electricity. Alabama Power’s reported total also does not represent every electric cooperative or municipal utility operating throughout the state.
The company’s outage map showed 37,272 customers affected at about 1:42 p.m. Sunday, before the utility later announced additional restoration progress.
Utility officials emphasized that restoration work would continue until remaining affected customers could safely receive electricity.
Crews also received assistance from personnel across numerous states, underscoring the scale of the regional response.
Two Alabama Deaths Confirmed Following Hurricane
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey confirmed Saturday that at least two people had died in the state as a result of Hurricane Isaias.
One fatality occurred in Birmingham after a tree fell onto an occupied residence on Monterey Drive early Saturday morning.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue crews responded after midnight to reports that two people were trapped inside the house. One person was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second storm-related death was reported in Barbour County, according to subsequent reporting by the Alabama Reflector. The governor’s initial announcement did not establish the circumstances.
Ivey expressed condolences to the families and praised emergency personnel working to clear roads, restore electricity and assist affected residents.
The deaths underscore the dangers associated with powerful tropical systems even after they begin weakening.
Falling trees, damaged structures, flooding, and downed electrical lines can remain hazardous long after hurricane-force winds pass.
Southern Alabama Communities Face Extensive Damage
The Alabama Emergency Management Agency reported Sunday that the storm’s most significant impacts occurred in the southern portion of the state.
Some of the worst damage was concentrated in southwestern Alabama, where an intense area of destructive winds on the northwest side of the hurricane’s eye caused widespread tree damage.
State emergency officials identified a phenomenon known as a sting jet as a contributor to the particularly destructive winds experienced in portions of the region.
A sting jet is a concentrated descending current of air that can produce damaging surface winds in certain powerful storm systems.
The resulting damage complicated road access, disrupted electrical service and increased the workload for emergency responders.
According to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, emergency management offices in Baldwin, Crenshaw and Conecuh counties were still operating on generator power Sunday morning.
Multiple healthcare facilities in southern Alabama also faced electrical disruptions, requiring emergency power arrangements.
Communications problems were not widespread across the state, but isolated areas in southwest Alabama continued experiencing difficulties.
These disruptions highlighted the importance of restoring essential infrastructure beyond residential electricity.
Hospitals, emergency management centers, water systems, telecommunications equipment and public safety operations all depend on reliable electrical service.
Outages Fall Sharply From Storm’s Peak
Alabama emergency officials reported Sunday morning that statewide power outages had fallen below 75,000, far below the peak during the hurricane.
The Alabama Reflector reported that more than 70,000 customers remained without electricity Sunday morning, compared with approximately 300,000 early Saturday.
Those figures represented different reporting periods and electricity providers, while Alabama Power’s later update reflected restoration progress within its own service territory.
The declining outage totals showed the pace of recovery but also that thousands of residents still faced disruptions.
In Coffee and Houston counties, nearly 9,000 customers in each county were without electricity Sunday morning, according to outage data cited by the Alabama Reflector.
The Wiregrass region, which includes communities in southeastern Alabama, experienced widespread outages as the hurricane moved through the area.
Utilities serving Dothan and surrounding communities reported substantial interruptions during the storm.
In some locations, crews could not restore electricity until they removed fallen trees and could safely access damaged equipment.
Baldwin County Begins Post-Storm Recovery
Baldwin County emergency officials said the county had transitioned to post-storm response operations by Saturday.
Although no injuries had been reported in the county as of Sunday morning, officials continued to warn residents about dangerous road conditions.
Fallen trees, damaged electrical lines and intersections without working traffic signals remained concerns.
County officials reported that more than 150,000 customers had regained electricity as restoration work continued.
Emergency officials also announced the lifting of municipal curfews and the reopening of bridges in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Shelters began closing as immediate emergency housing needs decreased.
However, residents were encouraged to limit unnecessary travel while utility crews and public works employees continued clearing roads and repairing infrastructure.
Officials reminded motorists to treat intersections with nonfunctioning traffic signals as four-way stops.
The county also warned residents to avoid standing water, damaged electrical equipment and fallen power lines.
Emergency Crews Continue Clearing Roads
Across Alabama, state and local emergency personnel spent the weekend removing fallen trees, clearing debris and reopening transportation routes.
In Montgomery, Mayor Steven Reed reported Saturday evening that major roads had reopened and that municipal public works crews had cleared storm debris from public areas.
Electricity restoration in the Montgomery area was also progressing.
Elsewhere, however, damaged infrastructure continued restricting travel.
Gov. Ivey said crews were working to reopen a portion of U.S. Highway 31 north of Brewton after storm damage disrupted access.
Emergency management agencies coordinated with utility companies, law enforcement and transportation officials to identify dangerous locations and prioritize repairs.
The recovery involved more than restoring electricity.
Workers also inspected damaged roads, removed fallen trees from public rights-of-way, and addressed hazards created by unstable structures.
In communities with extensive tree damage, debris removal could remain a significant challenge even after electrical service was restored.
Governor Ivey Coordinates State and Federal Response
Alabama’s emergency response included coordination between state agencies, local governments, utility companies and federal emergency officials.
Ivey reported Saturday that she had spoken with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Cameron Hamilton and Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Smitherman as response operations continued.
The governor also rescinded the supplemental emergency proclamation requiring nonresidents to evacuate designated coastal areas.
That decision reflected improving conditions in some coastal communities, although it did not mean all storm-related hazards had been eliminated.
State officials continued to emphasize public safety as recovery crews worked throughout affected communities.
The Alabama Emergency Management Agency warned that response and recovery operations could continue for weeks or months in some of the hardest-hit areas.
That longer timeline reflects the difference between restoring immediate essential services and completing the broader work required after a major hurricane.
Hurricane Isaias Moves North as Flooding Threat Continues
Although Alabama’s immediate weather conditions improved, the remnants of Hurricane Isaias continued moving north Sunday.
The National Weather Service warned that heavy rainfall associated with the system could produce isolated flash flooding and additional wind damage across portions of the southeastern United States.
The central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic region faced the possibility of moderate to heavy rainfall as the weakened system continued moving through the country.
Forecasters also warned that dangerous surf and rip currents could persist along portions of the Gulf Coast and southeastern Atlantic coastline.
Parts of the Carolinas and Virginia faced additional severe weather concerns, including the potential for tornadoes.
The storm’s movement demonstrated how hurricanes can create dangerous conditions across multiple regions even after losing their original tropical characteristics.
Heavy rainfall, saturated soil, and gusty winds can continue to bring down trees and damage infrastructure far from the original landfall location.
Residents Urged to Remain Cautious During Cleanup
Emergency officials continued urging Alabama residents to exercise caution during recovery.
Downed electrical lines remained among the most serious hazards.
Residents were advised to avoid damaged wires and not to remove trees entangled with electrical equipment.
Utility companies also cautioned that downed lines should always be treated as energized, regardless of whether surrounding properties have electricity.
Flooded roads and standing water added risk.
Emergency management officials encouraged residents to avoid unnecessary travel through damaged neighborhoods to allow utility workers and emergency responders to operate safely.
For households still without electricity, food safety, generator operation, and access to essential services remained important considerations.
Operate portable generators outdoors and away from windows, doors, and ventilation openings to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Residents who rely on electrically powered medical equipment may require additional assistance during prolonged outages.
Alabama Faces Longer Recovery Despite Rapid Power Restoration
Restoring electricity to more than 95% of Alabama Power’s affected customers marked a major milestone after Hurricane Isaias.
However, state emergency officials cautioned that the most heavily damaged communities could face an extended recovery.
Utilities, government agencies, and local contractors will need to continue coordinating to replace damaged equipment, clear debris, and repair public infrastructure.
Businesses affected by prolonged outages may also face cleanup costs, damaged inventory and interruptions to normal operations.
Residents whose homes sustained structural damage could face additional challenges with insurance claims, repairs, and temporary accommodations.
As of Sunday evening, the full economic impact of Hurricane Isaias in Alabama had not been established.
Damage assessments were continuing, and officials had not released a comprehensive statewide estimate of property losses.
For now, Alabama’s immediate priorities remain restoring electricity to remaining customers, protecting public safety, and ensuring essential services can operate.
As utility crews continue working across the state, restoration has progressed at an encouraging pace.
But for families who lost loved ones, residents facing damaged homes and communities still struggling with disrupted infrastructure, the effects of Hurricane Isaias will extend well beyond the weekend.
Sources: Alabama Emergency Management Agency, October 10-11, 2026; Alabama Power, October 11, 2026; Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency; Alabama Reflector; WBMA ABC 33/40; WSFA 12 News; WALA FOX10 News; The Associated Press; National Weather Service reporting.
