NewsNation

VIDEO: 1st look at damage as Hurricane Sally makes landfall in Alabama

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (NewsNation Now) — As Hurricane Sally makes landfall in Alabama, the Category 2 storm has already left a wake of damage, overturning boats and flooding streets early Wednesday morning.

Search and rescue crews captured a first look at the widespread flooding that’s left much of Orange Beach underwater. The Cajun Navy, which is comprised of private boat owners who volunteer help in search and rescue efforts, documented high winds and waters washing away debris as the storm’s eyewall passed through the area along the Gulf Coast, NewsNation affiliate WKRG reported.


Hurricane Sally battered the Florida Panhandle and south Alabama Wednesday morning, causing storm surges, strong winds and power outages.

The storm made landfall in the coastal Alabama city of Gulf Shores at 5:45 a.m. ET. The city had issued a curfew due to life-threatening conditions.

The National Weather Service reported maximum sustained winds at 105 mph, as of Wednesday at 5:45 a.m. ET. The storm is moving north-northeast at 3 mph.

The weather agency is warning of “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” along portions of the north-central Gulf Goast.

More than 400,000 customers are without power in Florida and Alabama as the storm moves through the area, according to power outage data aggregator PowerOutage.US.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Teddy has now become a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, the National Hurricane Center said early Wednesday. Teddy is located about 820 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.