OREANDA-NEWS. On the night of September 17, the hurricane Sally struck the Gulf Coast and caused catastrophic and life-threatening flooding in the states of Florida and Alabama (USA). The hurricane was accompanied by showers and powerful gusts of wind that reached a speed of 135 kilometres per hour. Hundreds of houses were flooded, and some of them collapsed. The wind threw boats ashore and overturned heavy trucks.

More than half a million Americans were left without electricity in the two states. Curfews were imposed in a number of cities.

The hurricane killed at least one person. This was reported by the Associated Press with reference to the mayor of Orange Beach (Alabama), Tony Kennon. Details of the death of a victim have not yet been specified.

According to the National Hurricane Observation Center, currently the hurricane eased to a tropical storm. The wind speed inside Sally is 20.1 metres per second. It is located 110 kilometres northwest of Dothan (Alabama) and is moving northeast at a speed of 11.2 kilometres per hour.