MOBILE, AL — Although most of Nate’s wrath was felt in Mississippi, to the east Alabama did get heavy rains and winds from the storm.
In downtown Mobile, Water Street lived up to its name, with water covering the roadway Sunday morning.
But Water Street isn’t the only place flooding in the area. The Causeway was covered, and in the Dog River area some residents called for help when the water began to rise at their homes.
Four people were rescued early Sunday by the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department because of rising water near Dog River, near Navco and Creel Roads.
Resident Lakeisha Hill, who was rescued from her Parkway Drive home along with her sons, told FOX10 News she will never again choose to ride out a hurricane in her home.
“I can’t swim,” she told FOX10 News while waiting for rescue.
Mobile Fire-Rescue officials also report water rescue calls downtown at St. Michael and St. Louis streets as well as Government and Water streets.
An initial damage report from Mobile County at daybreak shows light damage throughout the county. Residents are advised to be aware of localized flooding which could still occur and to use caution when traveling and travel only if necessary.
Roads in Mobile County impassable due to flooding:
Coden Belt Road
Shell Belt Road
Water Street in Downtown Mobile
Roads impassable due to trees in the roadways:
McGregor near Airport Boulevard
Snow Road and Autumn Leaf Drive
State Road and Highway 188/Henderson Camp Road in the Grand Bay area
Natchez and Bayou Creek
County Road 19 in Irvington
Roads that were closed Saturday and remain closed Sunday morning:
Causeway
Dauphin Island Causeway and Bridge
In Mobile off Airport Boulevard, at Border Circle West, a large billboard was downed by winds associated with Nate. At 2:11 a.m., a 66 mph gust was recorded in west Mobile.
Nate, whose center came ashore overnight in Louisiana and then Mississippi as a Category 1 hurricane, was subsequently downgraded to a tropical storm, as the system moved quickly into Alabama north of Mobile County. It is expected to move rapidly out of the FOX10 News viewing area.
The storm caused several power outages in the area.
As of 7:15 a.m., Baldwin EMC was reporting 1,681 customers without power. Alabama Power reports 54,000 without power in the Mobile area.
Alabama Power says outages are in west Mobile, Saraland, Citronelle, Prichard, Jackson, Thomasville, Bay Minette, and other spots throughout the area. Alabama Power has crews working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to these areas, according to spokeswoman Beth Thomas.
To report power outages, in Baldwin County the number is 251-989-6247. In Mobile County the number is 1-800-888-2726. You can also text the word “outage” to 85700.
More than 28,000 power outages were reported in south Mississippi.
The Spanish Fort Water System on Sunday morning issued a notice for its customers on the Causeway east of the I-10 overpass to boil their water until further notice. This is while crews work to restore a water supply pipe damaged by Nate.
It is estimated that the work will be concluded Monday and that the boil water order likely will be lifted Monday afternoon or evening, according to an official.
