Thousands without power as Hurricane Isaias moves north in Florida and Alabama

Hurricane Isaias moved north early Sunday, leaving at least four people dead and 396,000 customers without power across the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama. The National Weather Service warned the storm's remnants will bring moderate to heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and strong wind gusts to the central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic region.

Isaias came ashore near Destin as a category 2 hurricane on Friday. Hurricane-force winds in the Florida Panhandle blew the roof off a Pensacola hotel and flattened a boathouse in Destin. The storm also ripped part of the facade off a high-rise in Panama City Beach. The Pensacola mayor said the airport "took some damage".

Authorities linked the deaths to falling trees and storm-related accidents. In Florida's Escambia county, a woman died when a tree fell on her home, and a man died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator in his garage. Sheriff Chip Simmons reported that four family members, ranging from age 4 to 72, were treated for the carbon monoxide exposure and are expected to survive. Alabama recorded two deaths: Fire chief Cory Moon said one person died when a tree fell on a house in Birmingham, and another died in a motor vehicle crash involving a downed tree in Barbour county, Josh Johnson of the state's emergency management agency said.

President Donald Trump approved emergency declarations for Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, unlocking federal aid for the affected states. The US Energy Department authorized emergency exchanges of crude oil from the strategic petroleum reserve to address supply disruptions caused by the storm.

The NWS forecast heavy rain capable of triggering flash floods in parts of Georgia and the Carolinas. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are expected to persist along the Gulf and south-eastern Atlantic coasts. Forecasters warned that flooding could stretch into the Appalachians as the storm continues north.

In the Pacific, Tropical Storm Simon strengthened to 155mph (250kph) as it approached Mexico's coast, just shy of category 5 status. Simon is expected to bring heavy rainfall beginning Sunday to south-western Mexico, bringing life-threatening flooding and mudslides. Tropical storm Rachel is also forecast to bring heavy winds and rain to northern Mexico and southern California.