Tropical Storm Florence: 5 deaths as the storm hits North Carolina, South Carolina, in the form of a hurricane today

Florence arrives, danger in tow

Hurricane Florence made a marathon Saturday morning in North Carolina, causing a deadly storm surge over miles of flood and ripping buildings with high winds and heavy rains.

More than 60 people had to be removed from a motel in collapse at the height of the storm, reports WNCT-TV, a subsidiary of CBS Greenville. Many others who challenged the evacuation orders were hoping to be saved. Pieces of buildings torn by the storm flew through the air.

More worryingly, forecasters have said that the terrifying attack will last hours and hours, because Florence was barely slipping and still pulling energy from the ocean.

The coastal streets flowed with foamy water and tens of thousands of people were losing electricity. According to forecasters, "catastrophic" freshwater floods were expected along the remote waterways of the Caroline Coast.

The winds bent trees to the ground and raindrops flew away as Florence moved for extended periods of time, with enough strong winds swirling abroad to maintain her power. Forecasters have said that the attack could last for days, leaving a large area of ​​water under heavy rains and rising seas.

The National Hurricane Center said that a gauge at Emerald Isle, North Carolina, had reported 6.3 feet of flooding. Emerald Isle is about 84 miles north of Wilmington, North Carolina.

And about 46 miles further down the waterfront, in New Bern, two FEMA teams were working on white water rescues and others were on their way.

The worst of the storm's fury has not yet reached the coast of South Carolina, where emergency officials said people could still leave flood-prone areas.

"There is still time, but not much time," said Derrec Becker of the Department of Emergency Management of South Carolina.

North Carolina's correctional authorities reported that more than 3,000 people were transferred from adult prisons and juvenile centers to Florence and more than 300 county prisoners were transferred to public facilities.

Authorities have reported that some 1.7 million people in the Carolinas and Virginia have been asked to evacuate, but it is unclear how many have done so. Houses of about 10 million people were under surveillance or warned of hurricane or tropical storm.

The coastal towns of the Carolinas were largely empty and schools and businesses closed south until Georgia.

Forecasters said conditions would continue to deteriorate as the storm slowly moved inland. Its rise could cover all but one shine of the Carolina coast under 11 feet of seawater, and rainy days could unload more than 3 feet of rain, causing severe flooding.

According to forecasters, given the size of the storm and the sluggish trajectory, there could be epic damage similar to that of Hurricane Harvey a year ago, with the floods flooding homes and businesses and washing industrial waste and ponds.

The hurricane was considered a major test for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which was heavily criticized as slow and ill-prepared for Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico last year.