GULF BREEZE (AP).— Hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama and in the northwestern strip of Florida were left without electricity in the early hours of Saturday after Isaías arrived on the US Gulf of Mexico coast as a dangerous hurricane, which also left flooded roads and downed trees in its wake. The storm made landfall on Friday as a Category 2 hurricane and moved quickly north through Alabama, while the power of its winds decreased dramatically. But the possibility of potentially deadly storm surges remains active in some areas of the northwestern strip of Florida, known as the Panhandle, along with intense rains and possible flooding for much of the Southeast over the weekend. Isaías was located about 40 kilometers south-southwest of Montgomery, Alabama, and nearly 170 kilometers south of Birmingham, Alabama, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported on Saturday. Meteorologists also warned that conditions could favor the formation of tornadoes in the Panhandle, Georgia and the Carolinas. Isaías arrived near Destin, Florida, as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. Hurricane-force winds battered a stretch of the Gulf coast known for its fine white sand beaches dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars and seafood stands. Strong winds in Destin, Florida, from the passage of Hurricane Isaías "The storm is already here. Buckle up right now. Do not go out on the streets," said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at a press conference on Friday. Roads and streets in Destin are flooded, while in nearby Pensacola, police warned residents to stay away from the roads due to the presence of debris on the roadway. Although the extent of the damage is not yet known, many residents posted photos on social media of fallen trees and power lines, and a video showed the roof of a hotel in Pensacola being torn off. Ssstwitter.com 1791630213183 Some Panhandle counties temporarily suspended emergency response on Friday night due to the dangerous conditions. Parts of southern Alabama were also flooded, and authorities in Mobile reported downed trees and power lines. Roads in Houston County, in the southeastern corner of the state, were closed due to similar conditions. In Florida, Alabama and Georgia, more than 800,000 customers are without electricity early this Saturday, according to poweroutage.com. Tim Mowry, a Florida resident who captured the storm from his home in Pensacola, said the wind was so intense that it sounded like a train whistle. He lost power around 4:30 p.m., but had a generator. He also had standing water in his backyard and part of the fence on his property was torn away. But overall, he said the storm was not as bad as he expected. "As far as Pensacola goes, we really got lucky," Mowry said. Mon Louis Island, Alabama, awaiting Hurricane Isaías Octavio Jones - FR171777 AP Despite its weakening, intense downpours are expected to accompany Isaías as it moves inland, with accumulations of between 10 and 20 centimeters, or even more, over the weekend from southern Alabama to southwestern Georgia. Mobile, Alabama, awaiting Isaías Octavio Jones - FR171777 AP Isaías is the first hurricane to hit the eastern United States since Milton passed along the Florida Gulf coast in 2024. It is expected to dump heavy rains and cause flooding across much of the Southeast over the weekend, and then in parts of the mid-Atlantic region and the Northeast of the country through Monday. This is how they prepared in Pensacola JOE RAEDLE - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA The storm already caused the cancellation of most flights scheduled for Friday at airports in the northwestern strip of Florida, including all arrivals and departures from Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. Hurricane Isaías in Fort Walton Beach The country's president, Donald Trump, canceled his plans to attend Saturday's football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, saying he did not want to interfere with emergency response efforts. Hurricane Simón In the Pacific, Simón intensified into a Category 4 hurricane as it moved toward the coast of Mexico, with forecasts that it will continue to strengthen off the states of Colima and Jalisco, and the possibility of striking the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta hard. Hurricane Simón Agencia AP - NOAA Maximum sustained winds increased to 195 kilometers per hour, so it could be upgraded in the coming hours, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported. A man protects his business in Puerto Vallarta agencia AFP - AFP The hurricane was located about 245 kilometers south of Manzanillo and 415 km south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes, and was moving slowly, at 11 km/h, now in a north-northeast direction. Meteorologists issued an alert for areas of the central and southwestern coast, where hurricane-force winds were expected within 36 hours. Around 261 people were evacuated from various coastal towns in Jalisco on Friday night. Further evacuations will be carried out in the coming hours in Puerto Vallarta and in the towns of Tomatlán, Cabo Corriente and La Huerta. The floods mainly affected the port of Acapulco, which was devastated in 2023 by Hurricane Otis. Residents of Puerto Vallarta prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Simón Agencia AFP - AFP Further north, Tropical Storm Rachel is expected to reach Baja California, northwestern Mexico and southern California this weekend. This season, tropical storm activity is above average in the Pacific due to the effects of a large-scale El Niño phenomenon. This climate phenomenon usually reduces storm activity in the Atlantic. Florida United States Hurricanes