Sally soaks Gulf Coast

One person has died and another is missing as a result of flooding in Orange Beach, Ala., due to Hurricane Sally. The storm crawled through several Gulf Coast states at only 3-5 mph, dumping rain for hours on end and causing serious water damage in Alabama and Florida. Now downgraded to a tropical storm, Sally is expected to bring a foot of rain and flooding to Georgia and the Carolinas.

How much rain fell? Pensacola, Fla., saw 3 feet of precipitation, with water rising above cars’ tires and creating rivers with whitecaps in the streets. Police rescued a family of four from a tree in surrounding Escambia County. Sheriff David Morgan estimated thousands of people would need to evacuate as floodwaters continued to rise. More than 500,000 homes and businesses are without power in the region.

Dig deeper: See the National Hurricane Center’s prediction for Sally’s path.

Editor’s note: WORLD has updated this report since its initial posting.