More than 1 million people along the Carolina coast have fled towards higher grounds in a mass evacuation ordered three days before the expected arrival of Hurricane Florence.
With maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour, Florence was due to grow even stronger before making landfall on Thursday, most likely in southeastern North Carolina near the South Carolina border.
Authorities also warned of life-threatening coastal storm surges and the potential for Florence to unleash prolonged torrential rains and widespread flooding across several states, especially if it lingers inland for several days.
