Hurricane Michael: At least 2 dead as tropical storm charges into Southeast after slamming Florida
PANAMA CITY — The most powerful hurricane on record to hit Florida's Panhandle left wide destruction and at least two people dead and wasn't nearly finished Thursday as it crossed Georgia, now as a tropical storm, toward the Carolinas, that are still reeling from epic flooding by Hurricane Florence.
A day after the supercharged storm crashed ashore amid white sand beaches, fishing towns and military bases, Michael was no longer a Category 4 monster packing 155-mph winds. As the tropical storm continued to weaken, it was still menacing the Southeast with heavy rains, blustery winds and possible spinoff tornadoes.
Authorities said at least two people have died, a man killed by a tree falling on a Panhandle home and, according to a television report, an 11-year-old girl also was killed by a tree falling on a home in southwest Georgia. Search and rescue crews were expected to escalate efforts to reach hardest-hit areas and check for anyone trapped or injured in the storm debris.
In its 5 a.m. advisory Thursday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the eye of Michael was about 30 miles west of Augusta, Ga., and about 90 miles northeast of Macon. The storm's maximum sustained winds have decreased to 50 mph, and it was moving to the northeast at 21 mph.
Read more: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/weather/hurricane/os-ne-tropical-storm-michael-20181011-story.html