Evacuations underway as Florence strengthens to category 4 hurricane

While Florence could punch the Carolinas harder than any hurricane since 1954, New England isn’t expected to see much of an impact from the storm. Now a Category 4 storm, Florence is expected to gain strength before making landfall in the area on Thursday night.

Well-built buildings can sustain substantial damage and trees will likely be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed.

South Carolina Walker Townsend, at right, from the Isle of Palms, S.C., fills a sand bag while Dalton Trout, in center, holds the bag at the Isle of Palms municipal lot where the city was giving away free sand in preparation for Hurricane Florence at the Isle of Palms S.C., September 10, 2018.

“The time to hope Hurricane Florence away is gone”.

“Storm Surge and Hurricane watches could be issued for portions of these areas by Tuesday morning”. “We are taking Hurricane Florence seriously”.

Residents of the eastern United States – particularly the Carolinas and Virginia – are bracing for a hurricane, as Hurricane Florence gathers power while forming over the Atlantic.

Trump has approved emergency declarations for both coastal states, a standard move allowing the release of federal funds and equipment to aid in protection and recovery efforts.

North Carolina traditionally allows city and county officials to determine emergency evacuations. First, the ocean surge along our coast. It stretches 340 miles across, according to the National Hurricane Center.

“We do not want to risk one SC life in this hurricane”, the governor told reporters.

Officials in Virginia, North Carolina, and SC this week warned against price gouging by retailers, citing penalties for violating state of emergency rules against excessive price increases.

Storm surges up to 12 feet along the coast and up to 30 inches of rain into next week will also threaten parts of SC and North Carolina in the coming days.

“Everyone in Dare County is encouraged to evacuate as soon as possible regardless of the established time frames”, the Dare County Emergency Management said on Monday.

Florence is expected to stall over the region, bringing a deluge of 15 to 20 inches of water to some areas, according to the most recent predictions. It was centred east-south-east of Cape Fear, North Carolina, and moving west.

The Carolinas will likely bear the brunt of Florence’s wrath.

Florence strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on Monday. Helene is expected to veer north well before coming close to the coast, though Isaac is expected to turn into a hurricane as it continues heading west towards the Windward Islands, the Miami Herald wrote.

In these coastal areas, heavy surf and elevated water levels arrive by Wednesday morning, and rainfall could begin by Thursday morning.