Hurricane Florence: Three dead as storm mauls Carolinas

Summary

Wind and rain are whipping North Carolina's coast, after the storm made landfall
Authorities have confirmed at least three deaths linked to the storm
Evacuation warnings are in place for up to 1.7 million people across South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia
Eight months' worth of rain is expected to fall in three days
Serious flooding is still expected even though it has been downgraded to a tropical storm with 70mph (110km/h) winds

Live Reporting

Ritu Prasad

'A basket-ball sized hole'published at 15:08 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
Image source, AFP/Getty
Image caption,
A front desk clerk at the Sleep Inn in Jacksonville tries to reattach the front doors of the hotel
About 60 people, including an infant, children and also their pets, have been evacuated overnight from a hotel in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Hurricane force winds in excess of 74mph (119km/h) caused life-threatening damage to Triangle Motor Inn's structure, local news website JDNews.com reported, external.
Firefighters and police found a basketball-sized hole in the corner of one room and parts of the roof had collapsed, allowing rain to flood rooms.
'A monster storm'published at 15:05 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
Hurricane Florence's wind speeds have risen to 105mph (169km/h) in Wilmington, North Carolina. BBC World News presenter Laura Trevelyan reports from the port city.
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Second-highest wind gust ever in North Carolinapublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
According to local news channel WECT, Florence has produced the second-highest wind gust ever recorded in the city of Wilmington.
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Free baseball tickets for evacueespublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
The Atlanta Braves baseball team are offering free tickets to games and discounted food to those displaced by Hurricane Florence.
Atlanta, in the state of Georgia, is over 400 miles from where the hurricane made landfall earlier today.
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'The state could face an environmental disaster'published at 14:53 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
If storm surges take place there are fears that the state could face an environmental disaster if industrial waste - including hog manure and coal ash - is washed into people's homes.
North Carolina has had this problem before. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd barrelled into the region and flooded vast areas with toxic water and dead hogs and chickens were found floating in the flood waters, after they became polluted with agricultural waste and petrol.
Read more about Hurricane Florence in this guide here
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina in 1999
'Here comes Florence'published at 14:46 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
The BBC's Chris Buckler is reporting on the storm from Wilmington, North Carolina.
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Safety tipspublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
North Carolina's emergency response department has shared a number of tips for people in hurricane-affected areas.
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Gusts of up to 99mphpublished at 14:29 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
The eye of the hurricane is reported to be moving slowly southwestward.
A wind gust to 99 mph (159 km/h) has been reported at a private observing site on the coast of North Carolina.
Governor thanks 'brave first responders'published at 14:22 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
North Carolina governor Roy Cooper has been speaking to Fox News' Fox & Friends.
“We want to thank our brave first responders who are out there now working in terrible conditions," Mr Cooper said.
"Over 100 people have been rescued” in flood-hit New Bern, he says.
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'A marathon rather than a sprint'published at 14:19 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
The US National Weather Service says the storm will be a "marathon" rather than a "sprint".
It warns of "ongoing, dangerous storm surges and flash flooding" and also "a long-term river flood threat in inland areas as very heavy rainfall continues to fall in the coming days".
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FEMA, the federal government's response team, has issued a reminder that those in areas far from the coast are also at risk of severe flooding.
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Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones: What's the difference?published at 14:16 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
Navin Singh Khadka
Environment reporter, BBC World Service
Image source, NASA
Image caption,
Hurricane Florence is likely to cause prolonged torrential rainfall
As Hurricane Florence hits the US's eastern seaboard, the Philippines is preparing for Super Typhoon Mangkhut to make landfall.
There are spectacular images of both shot from space, and the two weather systems look almost the same - so what's the difference? And while we're at it, what exactly is a cyclone?
To find out, read more about tropical storms and how bad they have to be.
Image source, NASA
Image caption,
Super Typhoon Mangkhut is expected to hit the Philippines by Saturday
Where is being hit?published at 14:09 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
Hurricane Florence made landfall on Friday, with the centre of the storm striking Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina, with gales of up to 90mph (150 km/h).
Read more about the impact of the storm here.
BBC reporters in the eye of the stormpublished at 14:00 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
BBC World News presenter Laura Trevelyan has been reporting from the eyewall of the storm in Wilmington, North Carolina.
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Flash flood warningspublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
The National Weather Service has issued several flash flood warnings for a number of coastal and inland areas in North and South Carolina.
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'The streets are eerily empty'published at 13:42 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
Richard Harrison-Grey in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
"I’ve got windows boarded up and everything that can be thrown by wind gusts is secured," Richard told the BBC.
"There are strong gusts that make the house creek but not the sustained hurricane force winds which will arrive this evening. My back door just flew open from a gust and the dogs ran for cover.
"All of the local businesses are closed and the streets are eerily empty".
Image source, AFP
Image caption,
Local businesses in Myrtle Beach are closed
Finding your nearest shelterpublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
Those affected in South Carolina can use an app on their smartphones to find and get directions to their nearest shelter.
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Flooded streets in Wilmington as hurricane sweeps throughpublished at 13:23 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
A reporter for Fox 46 has tweeted photos of flooded streets in Wilmington, near Wrightsville Beach where the hurricane made landfall.
There are no immediate reports of storm-related deaths or serious injuries.
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'Power beyond words'published at 13:17 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
A video shared by local news reporter Michael Howard shows him getting drenched while attempting to withstand the force of the hurricane.
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US Navy ship pounded by hurricanepublished at 13:15 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
The USS North Carolina is currently docked in the state and a photo posted to Twitter shows the vessel being hit by the wind and rain of Hurricane Florence.
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Just joining us? Here's the latest on Hurricane Florencepublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 14 September 2018
Welcome to those just joining us. Here's a quick summary to get you up to speed:
- In the last 15 minutes, Hurricane Florence has made landfall on the North Carolina coast, the National Hurricane Center has reported
- The area has already been battered by destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges. Eight months' worth of rain are expected in three days.
- Power cuts have hit more than 300,000 people in North Carolina, local media report
- Parts of the city of New Bern in North Carolina are three metres underwater. The local council tweeted earlier that 150 people were awaiting rescue
- The slow-moving hurricane has lost some of its strength, but winds are still gusting at up to 90mph