Storm "Isaias" plunges Florida and Alabama into darkness

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About 396,000 utility customers in the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama remained without power Sunday morning as the remnants of Storm Isaias moved north, with widespread moderate to heavy rain expected in the central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic region.

The National Weather Service said that heavy rains accompanying the storm could cause isolated flash rains and gusty wind gusts, and would continue to pose a threat across the southeastern United States, especially near the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains.

This may lead to sporadic power outages and downed trees and power lines. Dangerous surf conditions and life-threatening rip currents are expected to continue along the Gulf coasts and the southeastern coasts of the Atlantic Ocean.

The storm caused at least four deaths, including two people who died as a result of trees falling on homes in Florida and Alabama. Meteorologists warned that flooding could extend to the Appalachian Mountains.

Storm "Isaias" made landfall on Friday, after transforming into a Category 2 hurricane, near Destin, Florida, a tourist destination on the Gulf Coast filled with high-rise buildings and shops designated for tourists.

In Mexico, residents are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Simon, according to the German News Agency (DPA).

The Mexican Meteorological Service and the Mexican Navy Ministry said that the hurricane, which is now classified as a Category 4 (extremely powerful) hurricane, is expected to maintain its strength and continue moving towards the Pacific coast in the west-central part of the country.

The Meteorological Service expects the hurricane to approach, by Sunday evening, a little more than 30 kilometers from the western coast of Mexico. Heavy rains are expected, wind speeds at the hurricane's center will reach 240 kilometers per hour, and waves will rise to between 6 and 8 metres.

According to the ministry, low-lying areas face the risk of rising water levels, floods and landslides.