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Hurricane Florence: Life-threatening storm lands in North Carolina | Hurricane Florence: Life-threatening storm lands in North Carolina |
(35 minutes later) | |
Hurricane Florence has made landfall on the US East Coast, bringing with it winds, heavy rains and potentially "catastrophic" floods. | |
The centre of the storm struck Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina, with gales of up to 90mph (150 km/h). | The centre of the storm struck Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina, with gales of up to 90mph (150 km/h). |
Rains and surging seas have already inundated coastal areas. Scores of people are currently waiting to be rescued in the city of New Bern. | |
Evacuation warnings are in place for more than a million people. | Evacuation warnings are in place for more than a million people. |
Over half a million power outages have been reported across North Carolina, according to the state's emergency management agency. | |
The governor of North Carolina said surviving the storm would be a test of "endurance, teamwork, common sense, and patience". | The governor of North Carolina said surviving the storm would be a test of "endurance, teamwork, common sense, and patience". |
"This is an uninvited brute that just won't leave," Roy Cooper told NBC on Friday. | "This is an uninvited brute that just won't leave," Roy Cooper told NBC on Friday. |
National Weather Service forecaster Brandon Locklear said North Carolina is likely to see eight months of rain in two to three days. | |
Thousands of miles away, meanwhile, a huge typhoon is moving towards the Philippines. More than five million people are in the path of Super Typhoon Mangkhut, officials say. | |
What are the dangers? | What are the dangers? |
Conditions have deteriorated throughout Friday as the storm crawls along at 6mph (9.5km/ h). Some areas of North Carolina saw almost a foot of rain just a few hours, and footage showed sea levels begin to surge in land. | |
On Thursday night the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said wind speeds had slightly lowered, making it a category one hurricane. | |
The NHC says that despite the gradual lowering in wind strength, the storm remains extremely dangerous because of the high volume of rainfall and storm surges predicted. | The NHC says that despite the gradual lowering in wind strength, the storm remains extremely dangerous because of the high volume of rainfall and storm surges predicted. |
"Inland flooding kills a lot of people, unfortunately, and that's what we're about to see," said Brock Long, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema). | "Inland flooding kills a lot of people, unfortunately, and that's what we're about to see," said Brock Long, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema). |
He said that people living near rivers, streams and lowland areas in the region were most at risk. | He said that people living near rivers, streams and lowland areas in the region were most at risk. |
The storm is forecast to dump about 18 trillion gallons of rainwater on US soil, most of it in North Carolina, meteorologist Ryan Maue tweeted. | The storm is forecast to dump about 18 trillion gallons of rainwater on US soil, most of it in North Carolina, meteorologist Ryan Maue tweeted. |
In 2017 Hurricane Harvey dumped some 33 trillion gallons of rainwater in the US. | In 2017 Hurricane Harvey dumped some 33 trillion gallons of rainwater in the US. |
How are people coping? | How are people coping? |
More than a million people have been ordered to leave the coasts of the Carolinas and Virginia, with more than 20,000 taking refuge in emergency shelters. | |
Asked what she was most worried about, Monica Scott, a young mother who had brought her children to a shelter in North Carolina, said: "Not having a place to go home to, or a job." | Asked what she was most worried about, Monica Scott, a young mother who had brought her children to a shelter in North Carolina, said: "Not having a place to go home to, or a job." |
Not everyone, though, has obeyed the warnings. | Not everyone, though, has obeyed the warnings. |
Queues were reported outside a branch of Waffle House in the port city of Wilmington, North Carolina. The restaurant is used as a measure of how bad storms are. | Queues were reported outside a branch of Waffle House in the port city of Wilmington, North Carolina. The restaurant is used as a measure of how bad storms are. |
A man in North Carolina said he would stay with his dog, since shelters were not taking pets. "I'm not leaving him here," Antonio Ramirez told the AFP news agency, | A man in North Carolina said he would stay with his dog, since shelters were not taking pets. "I'm not leaving him here," Antonio Ramirez told the AFP news agency, |
More than 487,000 homes and businesses are already without power, but energy companies warn up to three million homes and businesses could lose electricity. | |
Officials have warned restoring electricity could take days or even weeks. Petrol stations in the area are also reporting shortages. | Officials have warned restoring electricity could take days or even weeks. Petrol stations in the area are also reporting shortages. |
Parts of New Bern, North Carolina, are 10ft (3m) underwater and 150 people were waiting to be rescued, authorities there said. | |
Davice Daniels from the New Bern Police Department said those unable to leave their homes should move up to higher floors. | Davice Daniels from the New Bern Police Department said those unable to leave their homes should move up to higher floors. |
But officials warn against entering attics, unless people have a means to cut through to the roof to avoid drowning. | But officials warn against entering attics, unless people have a means to cut through to the roof to avoid drowning. |
In Jacksonville, North Carolina, officials rescued about 60 people overnight from a hotel that was collapsing in the storm. | |
Emergency workers arrived to find the Triangle Motor Inn's structure crumbling, with many guests still in their rooms. | |
As parts of the roof caved in, police had to force their way into some rooms amid 75mph winds to reach those inside. | |
All of the occupants, who included children and pets, were safely rescued. | |
Over 1,100 flights have been cancelled, according to FlightAware.com, as most of the coastal region's airports are closed to ride out the storm. | Over 1,100 flights have been cancelled, according to FlightAware.com, as most of the coastal region's airports are closed to ride out the storm. |
At the White House, President Donald Trump has been retweeting local emergency officials' updates and tips for surviving the storm. | |
How long will this last? | How long will this last? |
Latest predictions show the storm slowing to a near standstill as it pummels the coast with "copious amounts of rain" from Thursday night to Saturday. | Latest predictions show the storm slowing to a near standstill as it pummels the coast with "copious amounts of rain" from Thursday night to Saturday. |
Wind speeds are only expected to weaken on Saturday as the storm moves slowly across land. | Wind speeds are only expected to weaken on Saturday as the storm moves slowly across land. |
More than a dozen counties in North Carolina are under a tornado watch, with officials also warning of a chance of hail. | More than a dozen counties in North Carolina are under a tornado watch, with officials also warning of a chance of hail. |
Are you in the area? How are you preparing for the hurricane? If it is safe to do so please tell us about your situation by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the area? How are you preparing for the hurricane? If it is safe to do so please tell us about your situation by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. |
You can also contact us in the following ways: | You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |