Hurricane Sally Slams AL, FL with Heavy Rain, Flooding

Hurricane Sally made landfall in Alabama as a Category 2 storm early Wednesday, bringing heavy rainfall and flooding from the Florida Panhandle to Mississippi.

The slow-moving storm came ashore at around 4:45 a.m. near Gulf Shores with winds gusts of up to 105 mph, USA Today reports. It's expected to move north-northeast at about 5 mph across parts of Alabama and Florida through early Thursday before eventually weakening into a tropical depression.

Rescue crews in both states were being deployed to help residents stranded in massive flash flood waters or trapped in homes damaged by Sally. Rain fell in the region for more than 24 hours before the storm reached land, dumping up to 25 inches in some areas already. 

"We know people are being rescued, and we know there is severe property damage,"  David Eversole, senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Mobile, AL, told USA Today.    

At least 540 people in southern Okaloosa County, FL, needed to be evacuated as of 5:30 a.m., according to county spokesman Christopher Saul. Nearly 80 people had already been helped out of the area by emergency workers, he added.

The county also called in a search and rescue unit from Tallahassee to help with efforts. Escambia County officials deployed swift water rescue teams to respond to storm-related emergency calls.

In Orange Beach, AL, video footage captured by the United Cajun Navy showed damage and flooding caused by Sally. The nonprofit group is helping with search, rescue and relief efforts.