Two people were trapped inside the Monterey Drive house as Isaias brought strong winds and heavy rain across central Alabama.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — One person died after a tree fell onto a Birmingham home early Saturday as the remnants of Isaias moved through Alabama, authorities said, turning an overnight storm into a deadly emergency in the city’s eastern neighborhoods.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue crews responded to the 1300 block of Monterey Drive after receiving a report that two people were trapped inside the home. Early reporting from WVTM said two people were possibly injured, but officials later confirmed that one person had died. Authorities had not released the victim’s identity Saturday morning, and the condition of the second person was not immediately available.
The fatality came as Isaias swept north through Alabama after making landfall near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane Friday night. The system brought periods of heavy rain and damaging wind to central Alabama, where forecasters had warned that gusts could bring down trees and power lines. Isaias weakened as it moved inland and later lost its tropical characteristics, but hazardous weather continued after the storm’s center passed.
The Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency said it had received multiple reports of trees damaging homes across the county. The agency said it was not aware of additional storm-related injuries at the time of its Saturday update. Public works crews, first responders and utility workers were dealing with downed trees, debris and power outages as residents began assessing damage from the overnight weather.
The National Weather Service in Birmingham had warned before the storm arrived that gusts of 50 to 60 mph or higher could produce widespread downed trees and power lines. Forecasters also expected 1.5 to 4 inches of rain across parts of central Alabama, with isolated totals reaching about 5 inches and creating a risk of flash flooding in urban, low-lying and poorly drained areas.
Jefferson County, including Birmingham, had been under a tropical storm warning as Isaias approached and moved into Alabama. Although tropical storm conditions eased as the system weakened, the National Weather Service kept a flood watch in effect for Birmingham and a broad section of central Alabama through Sunday morning because additional rainfall could overwhelm drainage systems and cause flooding.
The Birmingham death was one of at least two fatalities reported after Isaias came ashore along the Gulf Coast. Authorities in Florida also reported a death involving a falling tree. Across Florida, Alabama and Georgia, the storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of customers and left roads obstructed by trees, power lines and other debris.
The Monterey Drive incident remained under investigation Saturday, and officials had not released additional information about the person who died or the condition of the other occupant. Emergency and utility crews continued working across Jefferson County while the National Weather Service warned that flooding remained possible even as Isaias weakened and moved away from the Birmingham area.
Author note: Last updated October 10, 2026.