Hurricane Florence Still a Serious Threat Despite Weak Winds

WILMINGTON, N.-C. (Reuters) – Hurricane Florence, more and more important despite the weak winds on Wednesday, has moved closer to the east coast of the United States.

The center of Florence, which is no longer considered a major hurricane but still a serious threat to life and property, is expected to hit the south coast of North Carolina on Friday and head south on Saturday. according to the National. Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami.

(GRAPHIC: Hurricane Florence goes to Carolinas – tmsnrt.rs/2oZ5m1v)

The maximum winds sustained by the storm were clocked Wednesday at 110 miles to the hour (175 km / h), down from a peak of 140 mph the previous day, before being downgraded in category 3, then in category 2. Saffir-Simpson scale of the force of the wind.

"While Florence has weakened below the hurricane intensity, the hurricane wind field continues to grow," NHC said in its latest newsletter.

A long stretch of the US east coast remained vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms, from Georgia in the north through the Carolinas to Virginia. And Florence has been able to trigger a catastrophic flood of rivers and lowlands across a vast region.

"The time to prepare is almost over," said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper at a press conference. "The catastrophe is at the door and she comes in."

In addition to flooding the coast with storms of seawater up to 4 meters along the Carolina coast, Florence could dump between 51 and 76 inches of rain, with 40-inch sections. North Carolina, said the NHC.

The showers and floods would be particularly severe, and would last for days if the storm gives way to the land. Heavy rains were expected to spread to the Appalachians, affecting parts of Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia.

Tens of thousands of homes and businesses could be flooded in North Carolina alone, Governor Cooper warned.

The governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal, issued an emergency statement for the 159 counties of his state. Similar statements were made earlier in North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

More than one million people have been ordered to evacuate the coasts of the Carolinas and Virginia. At the end of Wednesday, authorities in North Carolina reported that nearly 7,000 evacuees resided in 71 emergency shelters throughout the state.

Millions of dollars

According to the US Weather Prediction Center, about 10 million people live in areas that may be subject to a hurricane or storm.

Emergency Preparedness included the activation of more than 2,700 National Guard soldiers, food storage, sheltering, traffic changes to avoid main roads, and the securing of 16 nuclear reactors in the Carolinas and Virginia.

The US Coast Guard said it shut down the ports of Wilmington and Moorehead City in North Carolina and restricted port operations in Charleston, South Carolina. North Carolina's seven ferry routes have been closed.

Utility officials warned that widespread blackouts were likely and that it may take weeks to restore electricity.

Wilmington, just north of where Florence seemed to head towards the shore, became empty and calm on Wednesday.

"I do not approach Florence with fear or panic," said 35-year-old Brad Corpening, who was planning to weather the storm at his deli in Wilmington. "It will happen. We just need to understand how to get there.

Officials from New Hanover County, which includes Wilmington, have stocked enough food and water for 60,000 people for four days, as well as more than 28,000 tarpaulins. City shelters were filling up and some people were traveling to Raleigh by land, although some residents were informed that they may have to evacuate due to flooding.

"It's going to be bad," said Woody White, a county commissioner. "But no matter how bad it will be, it's going to go and our job will be to rebuild this community together."