40 of Alabama's 67 Counties Under Emergency as Isaias Nears
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — As of Oct. 7, 40 of Alabama's 67 counties were under a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Isaias bore down on the Gulf Coast, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.
The emergency declarations, issued by Gov. Kay Ivey's office, cover coastal and inland counties in the storm's projected path, allowing the state to mobilize resources, activate the Alabama National Guard and coordinate with county emergency managers. The Alabama Emergency Management Agency warned of flash flooding, damaging winds and possible tornadoes, noting that tropical systems often spin up twisters well ahead of landfall.
State officials urged residents across the southern two-thirds of the state to monitor forecasts closely, charge devices, stock water and nonperishable food, and have emergency kits ready. Schools in Mobile and Baldwin counties — the state's two coastal counties — announced closures ahead of the storm's arrival, and universities shifted to remote operations.
The Port of Mobile began storm preparations, and the Coast Guard set port conditions restricting vessel traffic. Utility companies said they were staging repair crews outside the projected impact zone so they could move in quickly once winds subside.
Alabama has been struck repeatedly in recent hurricane seasons, and emergency officials said this week's preparations reflect hard lessons about storm surge along Mobile Bay and the vulnerability of manufactured housing to high winds. The emergency declarations will remain in effect until the threat passes.
Gov. Ivey is scheduled to tour emergency preparations in Mobile County on Oct. 8.
Gov. Ivey's Oct. 7 proclamation also activated the state emergency operations plan and triggered the state's anti-price-gouging law, and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency placed its emergency operations center on 24-hour duty. Several coastal bridges were closed, Baldwin County opened shelters, and evacuations got under way in coastal areas.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：「伊萨亚斯」飓风的MODIS真彩色卫星图。NASA官方照片，公有领域，来源：Wikimedia Commons
