At least 1 dead, hundreds rescued after Hurricane Sally

Hurricane Sally lumbered ashore near Florida-Alabama line Wednesday with 105 mph (165 kph) winds and rain measured in feet, t inches, killing at least one person, swamping homes and forcing rescue of hundreds as it pushed inland for what could be a slow and disastrous drenching across Deep South.

death happened in Orange Beach, Alabama, according to Mayor Tony Kenn, who also told Associated Press that one person was missing. Kenn said he couldn't immediately release details.

Moving at just 3 mph (5 kph), or about as fast as a person can walk, storm made landfall at 4:45 am close to Gulf Shores, Alabama, about 30 miles (50 kilometres) from Pensacola, Florida.

It accelerated to a light jog as it battered Pensacola and Mobile, Alabama, metropolitan areas encompassing nearly 1 million people.

Sally cast boats onto land or sank m at dock, flattened palm trees, peeled away roofs, blew down signs and kcked out power to more than 540,000 homes and businesses. A replica of Christopher Columbus' ship Nina that had been docked at Pensacola waterfront was missing, police said.

Sally tore loose a barge-mounted construction crane, which n smashed into new Three Mile Bridge over Pensacola Bay, causing a section of year-old span to collapse, authorities said.

storm also ripped away a large section of a fishing pier at Alabama's Gulf State Park on very day a ribbon-cutting had been scheduled following a USD 2.4 million revation.

By afteron, authorities in Escambia County, which includes Pensacola, said at least 377 people had been rescued from flooded areas. More than 40 people trapped by high water were brought to safety within a single hour, including a family of four found in a tree, Sheriff David Morgan said.

Authorities in Pensacola said 200 National Guard members would arrive Thursday to help.

Curfews were anunced in Escambia County and in some coastal Alabama towns.

Sally turned some Pensacola streets into white-capped rivers early Wednesday. Sodden debris and flooded cars were left behind as water receded.

By early afteron, Sally had weakened into a tropical storm. It was downgraded to a depression late Wednesday night with 35 mph (55 kph) sustained winds.

National Wear Service said system was still forecast to dump 4 inches (10 centimetres) to 8 inches (29 centimetres) of rain in souast Alabama and central Georgia by Thursday night, with up to 1 foot (30.48 centimetres) in some spots.

At least eight waterways in south Alabama and Florida Panhandle were expected to hit ir major flood levels by Thursday. Some of crests could break records, submerge bridges and flood some homes, National Wear Service warned.

Morgan, Escambia County sheriff, estimated thousands would need to flee rising waters in coming days. Escambia officials urged residents to rely on text messs for contacting family and friends to keep cellphone service open for 911 calls.

“re are entire communities that we're going to have to evacuate,” sheriff said.

“It's going to be a tremendous operation over next several days.” West of Pensacola, in Perdido Key, Florida, Joe Mirable arrived at his real estate business to find two-story building shattered.

Digging through ruins, Mirable pointed out a binder labelled “Hurricane Action Plan.” “I think professionals got this one wrong,” he said before wind blew away his hat.

More than 2 feet (61 centimetres) of rain was recorded near Naval Air Station Pensacola, and nearly 3 feet (1 meter) of water covered streets in downtown Pensacola, National Wear Service reported.

“It's t common that you start measuring rainfall in feet,” said forecaster David Eversole.

Sally was second hurricane to hit Gulf Coast in less than three weeks and latest to blow in during one of busiest hurricane seasons ever.

Forecasters have nearly run through alphabet of storm names with 2 1/2 months still to go.

At start of week, Sally was one of a record-tying five storms churning simultaneously in Atlantic basin.

Like wildfires raging on West Coast, onslaught of hurricanes has focused attention on climate change, which scientists say is causing slower, rainier, more powerful and more destructive storms.

(Photo: AP)