Hurricane Florence ‑ the most powerful storm to threaten the Carolinas in nearly three decades ‑ is expected to strengthen.
Officials warn there is a chance of "life‑threatening inundation from rising water" over the next 48 hours as Florence heads for the US East Coast.
With sustained winds of about 215km/h, the weather system is currently a category four storm.
Forecasters say it could make landfall on Friday, near Wilmington, North Carolina.
Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, North and South Carolina have all declared states of emergency.
[Source: BBC]
