WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Wakulla County officials say the community avoided significant damage after Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin as a Category 2 storm late Friday night.
In a post-storm update shared Saturday morning by the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office, Emergency Management Director Jen Nagy said the county's voluntary evacuation order has been lifted and the emergency shelter that opened ahead of the storm is being closed.
WATCH BELOW: Wakulla County escapes major damage after Isaias
"We always have a stance of preparing for the worst of what our impacts could be," Nagy said, thanking residents for taking the storm seriously and following evacuation recommendations.
The shelter housed residents from both Wakulla and Franklin counties, including people with special needs. Officials began demobilizing the shelter Saturday morning and expected it to be fully closed by the afternoon.
Despite concerns ahead of the hurricane's arrival, Wakulla County experienced only minor storm impacts.
Officials reported three to four downed trees overnight, along with a handful of downed power lines. At the height of the storm, approximately 2,500 customers across the county's two electric providers were without power. Utility crews restored service quickly, and fewer than 200 customers remained without electricity Saturday morning.
Authorities also reported one damaged home.
Nagy said all tropical storm and storm surge warnings have been lifted for the area. However, a coastal flood advisory remains in effect until noon Saturday, and residents are still being urged to use caution along beaches and coastal areas due to breezy conditions and rough surf.
State emergency management partners and urban search and rescue teams are conducting preliminary damage assessments along the coastline to identify any impacts that may have been missed.
While the immediate threat from the hurricane has passed, officials said they will continue monitoring local rivers in the coming days.
According to Nagy, all river basins in the area have reached at least "action stage" flooding, with some nearing moderate flood levels. No significant impacts to homes have been reported at this time, but officials are watching conditions closely as water from areas farther north moves downstream.
"We'll continue to monitor those and keep you updated on those river heights," Nagy said.
The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office encouraged residents to remain cautious as cleanup and assessments continue and reminded the public to contact the agency if assistance is needed.
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