DOTHAN, Ala. – Over 16,700 Dothan utility customers remained without power as of 7 a.m. Saturday morning, as utility crews and city officials began the extensive work of damage assessment and service restoration following the passage of Hurricane Isaias. The City of Dothan issued a statement indicating the significant challenge ahead, noting, "We anticipate it possibly taking several days to restore power to all customers." This widespread outage affects a substantial portion of the city's residents and businesses, leading to immediate concerns about daily routines and public safety in the aftermath of the storm.
Beyond Dothan's municipal service area, other major regional power providers, including Alabama Power, Wiregrass Electric, and Pea River Cooperative, also reported impacts and have requested patience from their customers. These utilities are coordinating efforts to restore electricity across Houston County and the broader Wiregrass region. Throughout the morning, some local roads remained closed, impeding travel and initial cleanup efforts. Residents, alongside city and county officials and utility crews, were able to get their first clear look at the storm's full extent of damage as daylight broke on Saturday.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday night, carrying powerful winds measured at 105 mph. While the storm subsequently tracked north through Alabama, its wind speeds sharply decreased as it moved inland. Despite the reduction in wind intensity over inland areas, the storm's initial impact and subsequent progression caused considerable disruption, particularly to power infrastructure across southeast Alabama.
The coastal areas bore the brunt of the initial strike. In Destin, video captured significant storm surge, with water overtopping fences and beach walkways. Officials in that area issued warnings, strongly urging people in low-lying and beachfront areas to stay away from the shoreline until conditions improved and it was safe to return. Further west along the coast, footage from Fort Walton Beach illustrated the storm's intensity, showing heavy rain and strong winds bending stop signs. Trees on Okaloosa Island were also thrashed by the powerful gusts as Isaias began its inland trajectory.
Back in several south Alabama communities, the distinct sound of chainsaws became a common accompaniment to the quiet Saturday morning. Crews immediately began cutting through fallen trees and other debris in hopes of clearing pathways and aiding the restoration efforts. The multi-day forecast for power restoration underscores the significant task facing utility workers and local agencies across the impacted region. Residents are advised to continue exercising caution and to monitor updates from local authorities as cleanup and repairs proceed.
