Now that the immediate danger has passed, Federal, State and local emergency managers, are moving into the Gulf States to assess the damage. Some damage assessments will be take time as crews must first deal with tons of debris and downed power lines. As field operations move into high gear, FEMA Headquarters and the Regional office in Atlanta are scaling back slightly. Roads are reopening into the area and power has been restored to 60 percent of the county. In the Panhandle, schools will be closed another day in Escambia County.
Power outages continue to be a problem in several counties.
The waters of the Blackwater River and the Big Coldwater River are receding. Damage from a tornado is being reported in Shalimar, north of Fort Walton Beach in Okaloosa County. A water spout is thought to have destroyed five houses in Bay County Tuesday. All evacuation orders have been lifted throughout the Panhandle. The President signed a major disaster Declaration for Alabama yesterday, authorizing the Individual Assistance disaster program for Mobile, Baldwin, Washington, Clarke, Monroe, Escambia, Covington, Crenshaw, Geneva and Coffee counties.