Isaias kills 9 people, leaves millions without power
Storm made landfall as hurricane in North Carolina
At least nine people were killed this week as Tropical Storm Isaias spawned tornadoes, dumped rain and made landfall as a hurricane on the East Coast.
Isaias toggled between hurricane and tropical storm strength. It made landfall as a hurricane Monday night near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, but was downgraded to a tropical storm Tuesday as it headed into Canada.
Isaias had sustained previous top winds of up to 65 mph for more than 18 hours after coming ashore.
Millions of people across several states are still without power Wednesday after power outages hit about 3.7 million customers late Tuesday, according to PowerOutage.US.
The storm’s center was about 45 miles southeast of Montreal late Tuesday night. As of 5 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Isaias was moving northeast at about 28 mph, with a maximum sustained wind of 40 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm was forecast to dissipate over eastern Quebec over the next day or so.
Here’s a breakdown of what we know and what you can do to help:
9 confirmed deaths in US
At least nine people have died after Tropical Storm Isaias tore through the U.S. East Coast.
Two people died when Isaias spun off a tornado that struck a North Carolina mobile home park. Another person died in Pennsylvania when their vehicle was overtaken by water and swept downstream.
Three others were killed by falling trees toppled by the storm in Maryland, Connecticut and New York City, and a seventh person died in Delaware when a tree branch fell, authorities said.
Late Tuesday evening, a woman was found dead inside a New Hampshire house that had been crushed by a fallen tree.
The ninth victim, a 5-year-old girl, had gone missing from her Philadelphia-area home during the height of the storm Tuesday and was found dead Wednesday. Authorities said they believed she was swept away by floodwaters in the creek behind her house.
Millions lose power
Power outages spread into Wednesday, with more than 2.7 million customers still without power as of 1:30 p.m. EDT in multiple states – including New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania – according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks utility reports.
New York City’s power utility said it saw more outages from Isaias than from any storm except Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
How to help after Isaias
The American Red Cross is responding across the region impacted by Isaias – from helping evacuees and distributing food in the Bahamas, to opening 18 shelters to house North Carolina victims.
You can donate to the Red Cross 2020 Hurricane relief efforts. You can also call 1-800-RED CROSS, text the word HURRICANES to 90999 to make a $10 donation, or visit redcross.org to learn more.
The Salvation Army is also responding in the aftermath of the storm: Financial contributions are needed to efficiently respond to demand and support economies through the purchase of goods, the Salvation Army said.
To help, contact your local Salvation Army or visit www.HelpSalvationArmy.org. You can also donate by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-7252769) to make a financial donation.