An abandoned car’s hazard lights continue to flash as it sits submerged in a rising flood waters during pre-dawn hours after Hurricane Florence struck in Wilmington, North Carolina, US, September 15, 2018. (Reuters)
Hurricane Florence made landfall in the US state of North Carolina early on Friday, knocking down trees, gorging rivers, dumping sheets of rain, and claiming lives before it was downgraded to a tropical storm still capable of wreaking havoc.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says the core of Florence was located at 11 pm Friday about 20 kilometre west-northwest of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Top sustained winds are now about 65 mph, down from 90 mph.
The storm is moving to the west-southwest at 7 kph, a track that is expected to continue through early Saturday. Forecasters say catastrophic freshwater flooding is expected over parts of North Carolina and South Carolina ahead. But, as the storm moves inland, it is expected to weaken. It could become a depression by Saturday night.
People wait to be rescued by members of the U.S. Army during the passing of Hurricane Florence in the town of New Bern, North Carolina, US. (Reuters)
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper called Florence an ``uninvited brute'' that could wipe out entire communities as it grinds its way across the land.
``The fact is this storm is deadly and we know we are days away from an ending,'' Cooper said.
As 400-mile-wide (645-kilometer-wide) Florence pounded away at the coast with torrential downpours and surging seas, rescue crews used boats to reach more than 360 people besieged by rising waters in New Bern, North Carolina, Friday while many of their neighbors awaited help. Dozens more were rescued from a collapsed motel, reported AP.
The Division of Public Health has advised against drinking well water in flooded areas.
The National Weather Service tweeted out tornado warnings.
At 8.00 pm (0000 GMT), Florence was downgraded to a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) but authorities warned the danger was far from over, predicting "life-threatening storm surges and strong winds" would persist through the night.
The dead included a mother and baby who were killed when a tree fell on their home in Wilmington, North Carolina. The child's injured father was taken to a hospital. In the state's Pender County, a woman died of a heart attack; paramedics trying to reach her were blocked by debris.Two people died in Lenoir County. A 78-year-old man was electrocuted attempting to connect extension cords while another man perished when he was blown down by high winds while checking on his hunting dogs, a county spokesman said, reported Reuters.
Hurricane Florence rolled ashore in North Carolina with howling 90 mph winds and terrifying storm surge early Friday, killing at least two people and trapping hundreds more in high water as it settled in for what could be a long and extraordinarily destructive drenching.
More than 60 people had to be pulled from a collapsing cinderblock motel. Hundreds more were rescued elsewhere from rising water. Others could only wait and hope someone would come for them.
North Carolina governor on Friday warned that Hurricane Florence 'will get worse.'
No storm-related deaths or serious injuries were reported in the hours immediately after Florence hit but authorities said more than 60 people, including many children and pets, had to be evacuated from a hotel in Jacksonville, North Carolina after strong winds caused parts of the roof to collapse.
'The sun rose this morning on an extremely dangerous situation and it's going to get worse,' North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said at a news conference in Raleigh. 'To those in the storm's path, if you can hear me, please stay sheltered in place.' Cooper said Florence would 'continue its violent grind across the state for days.'
Hurricane Florence is located just inland near Cape Fear, North Carolina, bringing life-threatening storm surges and hurricane-force wind gusts, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Friday as reported by news agency Reuters
In this Sept. 12, 2018 photo provided by NASA, Hurricane Florence churns over the Atlantic Ocean heading for the U.S. east coast as seen from the International Space Station. Astronaut Alexander Gerst, who shot the photo, tweeted: 'Ever stared down the gaping eye of a category 4 hurricane? It's chilling, even from space.'
Hurricane Florence made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina at 7:15 AM EDT with estimated maximum winds of 90 mph (150 km/h), according to the National Hurricane Centre.
According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, the number of homes without power appears to be more than 3,70,000.
The latest advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center says that the storm is about to make landfall in North Carolina. Catastrophic freshwater flooding expected over portions of North and South Carolina, the advisory says further.
The storm is reported be at 30 miles east of Wilmington, North Carolina and about 50 miles southwest of Morehead, City, North Carolina, National Hurricane Center's 4 am advisory said.
The storm is moving northwest at 6 mph and has maximum sustained winds close to 90 mph.
North Carolina began feeling the effects of Florence’s wind and heavy rain on Thursday afternoon but the storm was not expected to make landfall until late night or early on Friday. They were among 12,000 North Carolinians staying in shelters after being displaced by the slow-moving storm that is expected to bring powerful storm surges and dozens of inches of rain to the eastern part of the state.
READ MORE | North Carolinians take refuge from Florence’s fury
At least 1,50,000 people were without power in North Carolina early on Friday with the brunt of the storm yet to come, according to utility companies. Millions were expected to lose power from the storm and restoration could take weeks. Roads and intersections on North Carolina's Outer Banks barrier islands were inundated. (Reuters)
(Photo: AP)
The National Hurricane Center says Florence is now lashing the North Carolina coast with hurricane -force winds and a life-threatening storm surge. It says the threat of freshwater flooding will increase in coming hours and days from the storm's heavy rains. (AP)
Hurricane Florence was reported to be downgraded to category 1 storm off North Carolina coast with maximum sustained winds diminished to 90 miles per hour (150 kmph) , National Hurricane Center was quoted as saying by Reuters.
(Photo: Reuters)
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told a news conference that the "historic" hurricane would cause rains and floods that would inundate almost the entire state in several feet of water. The sheer size of the storm meant it could batter the US East Coast with hurricane-force winds for nearly a full day, weather forecasters were reported as saying by AP.
(AP Photo)
Heavy rain, strong winds and rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence battered the Carolinas on Thursday as the massive, slow-moving storm gradually moved towards the coastline, posing risks to millions of people in its path with record rainfall.
(Photo: AP)
Source: AP
In reference to Hurricane Florence and 2018 being on the pace to be the fourth hottest year, California Governor Jerry Brown called Trump a 'liar' and 'Fool' when it comes to the environment. Read more
Power outages already are creeping up along the North Carolina coast as tropical storm-force winds started sweeping over land. According to NHC, Hurricane Florence is about 195 MI (315 km) east of myrtle beach South Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h).
The Hurricane Florence has begun to unleash fierce rains across the US southeast. According to forecasters, the center of Florence is expected to hit North Carolina’s southern coast Friday, then drift southwest before moving inland on Saturday. Track Florence path here
Hurricane Florence's winds began whipping coastal North Carolina on Thursday as the slow-moving storm began to unleash fierce rains that forecasters warned would cause catastrophic flooding across a wide swath of the US southeast.
The center of the Hurricane is expected to hit North Carolina's southern coast on Friday, then drift southwest before moving inland on Saturday, enough time to drop as much as 40 inches (1 meter) of rain in places, according to the National Hurricane Center. (REUTERS)
NHC says heavy rainbands with tropical-storm-force winds is spreading across the outer banks and coastal southeastern North Carolina.
Coastal North Carolina felt the first bite of Hurricane Florence on Thursday as winds began to rise, a prelude to the slow-moving tempest that forecasters warned would cause catastrophic flooding across a wide swath of the US southeast. The center of the Hurricane is expected to hit North Carolina's southern coast on Friday, then drift southwest before moving inland on Saturday, enough time to drop as much as 40 inches (1 meter) of rain, according to the National Hurricane Center.
An estimated 10 million people live in areas expected to be under a hurricane or storm advisory, according to the US Weather Prediction Cente. More than 1 million people had been ordered to evacuate the coasts of the Carolinas and Virginia and thousands moved to emergency shelters, officials said. (Reuters)