Hurricane Florence Hits North Carolina, Kills Five

Hurricane Florence has finally hit North Carolina and so far according to official records, 5 people including 2 women and a child is killed, shattering the state of North Carolina with a combination of powerful wind and rain. Effects can be seen in some areas in the form of intense flooding. The hurricane is expected to fully subside by this weekend.

Though now, the hurricane has been downgraded to a tropical storm with a maximum wind speed of 70 mph and by the weekend it is expected to fully weaken. But the damage it has made so far is huge. Collapsed roofs and structures were visible in several parts of North Carolina after the hurricane Florence hit the state. Cities like Morehead and New Bern are badly hit by the hurricane. New Bern was particularly worse hit, with more than 100 people reportedly stranded in their homes and cars, which needed immediate rescue.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, has said that the state is facing “an extremely dangerous situation and it's getting worse. Hurricane Florence is powerful, slow and relentless. It’s an uninvited brute that doesn’t want to leave. The storm surge alone has overwhelmed the city of New Bern”.

The hurricane has already affected the lives of thousands of people. Half a million of the population is lacking power and about 20,000 people sought refuge in 157 shelter homes.

Ken Graham, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami said, “Florence, moving at the speed 6 mph, is still predicted to bring 20 to 30 inches of rain to parts of North and South Carolina and as much as 10 inches far inland, including parts of Virginia. It won't be until Sunday until we kick Florence out”.

He also cautioned “even after it's gone, back behind it in its wake there's going to be dangerous flooding”. 

Apart from North Carolina, other cities and states of the United States of America are also facing intense rains and wind. Though Florence is slowly weakening the flooding that followed is not that easy to counter. The hurricane has dumped nearly 18 inches of rain from the Outer Banks to the southeast coast. Wrightsville Beach, where the storm made landfall and has posted the highest 18.53 inches rainfall so far.