Where will Florence go next?

A few hours before Tropical Storm Florence came to the coast of South Carolina, the inhabitants of the Grand Strand beaches were preparing for a direct impact on Friday night and Saturday.

And because Florence, who landed for the first time Friday morning in North Carolina, bows at just 5 miles an hour, the authorities are preparing for a dangerous combination of persistent rains and overflows that could lead to unprecedented floods. the winds are dying.

Along the 60-mile stretch of Grand Strand, which includes Myrtle Beach, 15 to 25 inches of rain was expected until Saturday.

"This rain and flood is a danger, and that means we're going to have patience," said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster at a press conference Friday afternoon.

"We will lose electricity in much of the state for days and maybe even weeks."

At the start of Friday afternoon, the outer bands of the storm, which is as big as the state of South Carolina, began to rain and blow on Myrtle Beach, turning the tourist destination into a ghost town.

"We have a fairly high number of residents already in shelters, so we are encouraged by the fact that most people take this seriously," Kelly Lee Brosky, a public information specialist at NBC News, told NBC News. Horry County.

Some residents, however, decided to calm down and overcome the storm at home. Brittany's Michelle Robertson, 27, says she's been with her father and stepmother in the family-run Myrtle Beach Trailer Park. In the early afternoon, she saw several awnings on nearby hotels were demolished by the wind.

"We stayed to make sure that the families who stayed (in the trailer park) are okay and safe … and if there is damage to make sure they are repaired," Robertson said. kindergarten teacher.

"I believe in God that everything will be fine."

In the nearby town of North Myrtle Beach, officials said 90 percent of the population had already been evacuated.

But the 911 emergency system was already overloaded before the shock of the storm, the city's public security bureau asking residents to call a second number, 843-280-5511, for medical emergencies and mortal.

At 2 pm, nearly 67,000 power outages occurred in South Carolina, state officials said.

After crossing South Carolina and crossing the Appalachian Mountains, Florence had to turn north as she weakened further. His remains were to amortize the northeast, including New York City, by Tuesday.

The extent of Florence's destruction is reminiscent of hurricane Hugo in 1989, a storm that caused damage estimated at $ 7 billion, according to the state's climate office.

But McMaster warned that Florence was a very different threat from that of the South Carolinians – while Hugo had crossed the state in a few hours, this storm would be unleashed slowly, which would mean that much more water would be left in its wake .

"It's going to be a very trying time, it's not something we have before, but I'm sure it's something we're equal to," he said.