‘We’re in the bullseye’: North Carolina residents told to evacuate as Hurricane Florence nears

The storm is expected to be the most powerful to hit US mainland this year; North Carolina’s governor declared a state of emergency in North Carolina, as did his counterparts in neighbouring South Carolina and Virginia

3-MIN READ3-MIN

A handout photo made available by NASA shows Hurricane Florence is seen over the Atlantic Ocean from the International Space Station on Monday. Photo: Nasa via EPA-EFE

Published: 2:47am, 11 Sep 2018Updated: 8:36pm, 11 Sep 2018

North Carolina residents boarded up their homes and piled cars with valuables on Monday after officials in that state and two others warned coastal areas would be hit from Hurricane Florence, the most powerful storm to take aim at the US mainland this year.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency in North Carolina, as did his counterparts in neighbouring South Carolina and Virginia. South Carolina ordered an estimated 1 million people to evacuate its coast.

Members of the South Carolina Air National Guard prepare to deploy to support rescue efforts in advance of Hurricane Florence at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina on Monday. Photo: US Air National Guard via Reuters

The storm had winds of 130 miles per hour (209 kilometres per hour) and was due to gain strength before it made landfall, which the US National Hurricane Centre said was likely to occur early Thursday, bringing heavy rain that could cause severe flooding throughout the region.

“We do not want to risk one South Carolina life in this hurricane,” Governor Henry McMaster said at a news conference.

He estimated about 1 million people would be fleeing the coast.