Tens of thousands of people went to bed without power Friday night as Hurricane Isaias quickly blew across the northern Gulf Coast, leaving trees down and debris cleanup across a Baldwin County that was spared the worst of a direct hit.
Isaias made landfall near Destin around 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9 as a strong Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.
According to Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency, no injuries have been reported in the county.
Here is a roundup of morning updates.
CURFEWS, BRIDGES AND POWER
Bridges to the island of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach reopened at 8 a.m.
All municipal curfews have been lifted.
Baldwin County EMA said over 146,000 customers had power restored by Saturday morning.
Riviera Utilities crews have restored natural gas service to the affected system in Gulf Shores and in a statement said they are ready to assist customers with relighting and restoring service to their homes.
Customers must contact Riviera Utilities to request service restoration and must be present at their property when crews arrive. To schedule service restoration, call 251-943-5001 and leave a message.
Comcast is opening free public Xfinity WiFi hotspots in counties impacted by the storm. Hotspots are available to anyone, including non-Xfinity customers, at no cost. Alabama hotspot availability includes Baldwin, Houston, Mobile and Tuscaloosa counties.
Residents can find nearby hotspots and connection instructions using the Xfinity WiFi Hotspot Map.
SHELTERS AND TRANSPORTATION
The Safer Place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will close today at 10 a.m.
The Baldwin County Shelter at the Coliseum in Robertsdale will close at 1 p.m. as sheltering needs decrease and post-storm operations continue.
BRATS will continue transporting individuals who need assistance during the transition and through shelter demobilization.
CURRENT HAZARDS AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
There are still numerous traffic signals without power and downed or damaged power lines as well as widespread fallen trees.
Baldwin County EMA urges motorists to continue with caution and treat an intersection without power as a four-way stop. Avoid down power lines, blocked roads, fallen trees and standing water.
“Remaining indoors is strongly encouraged unless emergency travel is necessary,” Baldwin County EMA states in a morning update.
FOLEY
Preliminary assessments conducted by city crews overnight indicate that Foley avoided the widespread damage experienced during previous major hurricanes. However, several areas sustained damage, including downed trees, power outages and debris along roadways.
City crews identified significant tree damage in the area between Myrtle Avenue and Highway 98, from Alston Street to Cedar Street. Additional downed trees were observed in the northwestern portion of the city and at Graham Creek.
REOPENINGS AND FACILITIES
Gulf State Park is closed to the public until further notice, including all beaches, boardwalks and trails.
“We have noticed the public accessing the beach and trail systems. However, our staff has not yet completed required safety assessments, and hazardous conditions may exist. For your safety and our emergency response team's safety, please stay off park grounds and off the beaches until we officially clear all areas,” a statement from the park says.
