Local residents remained calm and well prepared as Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin on the Florida Panhandle around 20:30 local time Friday as a Category 2 storm.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned of "life-threatening storm surge impacting the Gulf Coast as dangerous hurricane conditions and flash flooding spread inland."
The first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season had maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour (169 kph) as of Friday night, according to forecasters. It was expected to bring heavy rain, powerful winds and storm surge to a large swath of the Southeast.
Authorities issued evacuation orders, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that flash flooding would be a hazard "throughout the region."
Despite the warnings, many local residents interviewed by China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Thursday appeared calm, saying their communities were well prepared and that they expected the storm to pass without much lasting effect.
"I think we're going to get a little bit of storm surge here. That's probably going to be the most of our worries, the storm surge and the winds. But I feel like Pensacola is also a little bit prepared for this storm," said a local resident.
"I'm ready. I'm having fun with it, actually. Just enjoying it," a man strolling the beachside said.
"I'm pretty comfortable with it. I'm going to finish this up and then I get to go home and hang out," said another local resident, speaking as he reinforced a wall surface.
The storm weakened dramatically since making landfall and later became a post-tropical cyclone as it moved inland.
Residents stay prepared as Hurricane Isaias makes landfall in Florida
Residents stay prepared as Hurricane Isaias makes landfall in Florida
