Hurricanes in South Carolina

AFP - Powerful Hurricane Florence headed toward the US East Coast Tuesday, prompting authorities to order more than a million people to evacuate the path of the extremely dangerous storm forecasters said could soon intensify.

Residents scrambled to flee as the menacing Category 4 storm packing winds of 140 miles (220 kilometers) per hour moved closer.

Hurricane Irma regained strength on Sept. 10 as it began pummeling Florida, threateningalmost the entire southeastern U.S. state after cutting a deadly path of destruction through the Caribbean.

The storm, packing of winds of 210 kph, was upgraded to a Category 4 storm as it closed in on the island chain known as the Florida Keys, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Matthew churned north along the coast of Florida on Friday, and state officials and forecasters shifted their focus to the danger of serious damage in Jacksonville later in the day.

Hurricane Matthew has strengthened as it moves slowly towards Florida, and is set to be the strongest storm in the US for 12 years.
With winds of 125mph (205km/h), it is expected to hit Florida early on Friday as a Category Four storm.
At 20:00 local time (01:00 GMT), it was 75 miles offshore of West Palm Beach.

Hurricane Matthew has strengthened as it nears a “direct hit” with Florida, and is set to be the strongest storm in the United States for 12 years. The hurricane has pounded the Bahamas after devastating parts of Haiti. Damage could be “catastrophic”, Florida’s governor said. Evacuation orders are in place along the coast.