Florida Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, that the state's death toll from Hurricane Isaias reached six. The announcement followed the storm's landfall in the Florida Panhandle, which left hundreds of thousands without power across the southeastern United States.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida. While Reuters reported landfall occurred early on Saturday, October 10, the Florida Phoenix reported the hurricane arrived on Thursday, October 8. The storm was the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season and the first to strike the continental U.S. since Hurricane Milton in 2024. As the storm moved through the region, it brought strong winds, rain, flash floods, and tornado threats while cutting power to residents in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.
The six confirmed fatalities in Florida include two previously reported deaths in Escambia County. Officials stated one person died when a tree fell on their home, and another died from carbon monoxide exposure caused by a generator operating inside a garage. DeSantis said the four newly confirmed deaths involved a car crash at an intersection where the traffic signal was not functioning, two people who suffered storm-related disruptions to their medical treatment, and a final death for which no specific details were provided. Additionally, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey confirmed two storm-related deaths in her state on Saturday, October 10.
The economic impact is also being assessed, as the analytics firm Verisk reported that insured losses from the hurricane could reach $2 billion. Residents in affected areas have had access to distribution centers providing free supplies. The fatalities linked to traffic signal failures and generator use have prompted public safety warnings regarding infrastructure damage and the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning during recovery.
State and local agencies are transitioning from emergency response to recovery. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is tasked with further investigating storm-related fatalities, while utility crews continue work to restore connections. Distribution of emergency supplies remains active throughout the impacted Panhandle region. No specific deadlines for full power restoration or final damage assessments were reported.