With more than 30 inches of rain in some towns and wind of around 105 mph, Hurricane Sally left behind a devastating trail of damage and destruction, centered in an around Orange Beach, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida. One resident told NBC News (watch above), “it looks like a war zone.” 200 members of The National Guard were called in to help with rescues and clean-up.
⛑️In the aftermath of #Sally Escambia County Fire Rescue crews helped more than 35 residents in the Lake Charlene area get to dry land today with the help of @NationalGuard rescue vehicles.
Sending love to all of those along the Gulf Coast affected by Sally 💙Stay safe… pic.twitter.com/llBKKoi4m8
— BeReadyEscambia (@bereadyescambia) September 17, 2020
At least two deaths are being blamed on Sally, which made landfall as a hurricane and moved inland over the Southeast.
One person was killed when a tree fell on a home in Atlanta.
In Alabama, Ken Grimes, city administrator in Orange Beach, confirmed the death of an unidentified man in the town on Wednesday.
Further details weren’t immediately available in either case.
Sally cast boats onto land or sank them at the dock, flattened palm trees, peeled away roofs, blew down signs and knocked out power to more than 540,000 homes and businesses. A replica of Christopher Columbus’ ship the Nina that had been docked at the Pensacola waterfront was missing, police said.
Hundreds rescued after Hurricane Sally strikes Gulf Coast. @robmarciano reports on the deadly storm’s trail of destruction. https://t.co/Pvhvri9y4X pic.twitter.com/be7FumUblc
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 17, 2020