Storm surges of 9 to 13 feet and rainfall up to 40 inches: those are two of the most dire warnings about Hurricane Florence's effect on parts of North and South Carolina. Thousands have heeded evacuations orders; others are hoping to cope with the storm in their homes or at local shelters.

Weather and emergency officials are warning people in Florence's path not to interpret maps showing the location of the storm's center, or reports that it's losing top wind strength, as signs that they should relax. The storm is huge, the National Hurricane Center says, and its worst effects will reach "a large area regardless of exactly where the center of Florence moves."

Thousands of power outages have been reported due to Florence. As of 2:40 p.m. ET, more than 15,000 customers along the coast were without power, according to outage maps from Duke Energy and the N.C. Electric Cooperatives.

North Carolina had 108 shelters open, and South Carolina reported having 56 shelters open on Thursday morning, as the storm loomed toward the coast. Both North Carolina and South Carolina are updating their lists of emergency shelters for people caught out by the storm.

In Shallotte, N.C., a coastal town near the border with South Carolina, emergency orders forced a Waffle House to shut down — an act that was widely seen as a sign of respect for Florence's imposing size and strength. But the restaurant had locked its doors only to comply with a police order.

When staff realized a nearby Bojangles would stay open, NBC's Matt Bradley says, they opened back up. Customers have included police from nearby Myrtle Beach, an employee told Bradley.

That mix of impressions — a respect for this storm's sheer size and the massive amount of rain and seawater it brings, along with a resignation to storms being part of life on the coast — is also part of the reaction in low-lying areas to the north.

On Thursday morning, a tweet from South Carolina's Emergency Management Division brought this perspective on Florence's sheer size: It's "larger than South Carolina and North Carolina combined."

Even as the first bands of Florence's rains and strong winds began to whip North Carolina's shore Thursday morning, ocean water ran into the streets on the southern end of North Carolina's Hatteras Island, according to The Virginian-Pilot's Jeff Hampton.

In addition to the storm surge, "There is going to be a lot of rain," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said on Thursday. Noting the heavy bands on the hurricane's northeast quadrant, he added, "We are on the bad side of this storm."

Just below the border, in Horry County, S.C., officials instituted a curfew on Thursday, to last from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day "until further notice." Other areas, including the cities of Darlington, S.C., to Greenville, N.C., imposed their own curfews, set to begin Thursday night.

As the storm approached, Michael Cramer, the town manager of Carolina Beach, N.C., told NPR's Morning Edition that "easily a third of our community will be underwater" if the worst predictions are fulfilled.

Carolina Beach lies on a narrow strip of land in the southern part of North Carolina. From east to west, the community is less than a dozen blocks deep, with the Atlantic on one side and the Cape Fear River on the other.

Cramer says they're expecting ocean water to flow over the sand dunes and bring sand into the town. On the inland side facing the river, Cramer says rising waters will likely be "lapping at the first floor of our elevated homes."

This vulnerable area has been under mandatory evacuation orders since last night at 8 p.m., and those who are choosing to ride out the storm have been under a mandatory curfew since that time, to keep people inside.

That has left a sort of ghost town. Cramer said the police chief informed him that as of this morning, the only people in sight were "two or three stragglers."

Along North Carolina's Pamlico River, the area is bracing for storm surge of up to 13 feet, and all low-lying and flood-prone areas are under mandatory evacuation orders.

"This time it's important. If you're in a low lying area, get out," Mac Hodges, the mayor of the town of Washington, told NPR's Brakkton Booker. "Because I don't know that we can go in and get you."

At the nearby Arthur Christian Church, Booker reports, about twenty people were praying together as the storm barreled toward the Carolinas. "Gracious heavenly father God, just with those in the flood zone, may the damage not be so much," they prayed.

For anyone who stayed behind near the coast, or find themselves facing the brunt of the storm, officials are offering safety advice. Among the tips: Prepare a safety kit and avoid driving through floodwater.</s>Authorities in the town of New Bern, N.C., were working with federal responders to rescue at least 150 residents who reported themselves stranded in Hurricane Florence’s storm surge.

Colleen Roberts, the public informaton officer from the city, told Fox News that 200 have been rescued so far as the Category 1 storm battered the area with strong winds and a life-threatening storm surge.

FEMA teams are employing boats in the rescues and are determining which cases are the most severe. Roberts said many of the residents live near the Neuse and Trent rivers.

Flooding and a strong storm surge has prompted more than 90 calls to the emergency operation center in Craven County, N.C., for residents trapped in vehicles and homes, according to spokeswoman Amber Parker.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates</s>Storm surges of 9 to 13 feet and rainfall up to 40 inches: those are two of the most dire warnings about Hurricane Florence's effect on parts of North and South Carolina. Thousands have heeded evacuations orders; others are hoping to cope with the storm in their homes or at local shelters.

Weather and emergency officials are warning people in Florence's path not to interpret maps showing the location of the storm's center, or reports that it's losing top wind strength, as signs that they should relax. The storm is huge, the National Hurricane Center says, and its worst effects will reach "a large area regardless of exactly where the center of Florence moves."

Thousands of power outages have been reported due to Florence. As of 2:40 p.m. ET, more than 15,000 customers along the coast were without power, according to outage maps from Duke Energy and the N.C. Electric Cooperatives.

North Carolina had 108 shelters open, and South Carolina reported having 56 shelters open on Thursday morning, as the storm loomed toward the coast. Both North Carolina and South Carolina are updating their lists of emergency shelters for people caught out by the storm.

In Shallotte, N.C., a coastal town near the border with South Carolina, emergency orders forced a Waffle House to shut down — an act that was widely seen as a sign of respect for Florence's imposing size and strength. But the restaurant had locked its doors only to comply with a police order.

When staff realized a nearby Bojangles would stay open, NBC's Matt Bradley says, they opened back up. Customers have included police from nearby Myrtle Beach, an employee told Bradley.

That mix of impressions — a respect for this storm's sheer size and the massive amount of rain and seawater it brings, along with a resignation to storms being part of life on the coast — is also part of the reaction in low-lying areas to the north.

On Thursday morning, a tweet from South Carolina's Emergency Management Division brought this perspective on Florence's sheer size: It's "larger than South Carolina and North Carolina combined."

Even as the first bands of Florence's rains and strong winds began to whip North Carolina's shore Thursday morning, ocean water ran into the streets on the southern end of North Carolina's Hatteras Island, according to The Virginian-Pilot's Jeff Hampton.

In addition to the storm surge, "There is going to be a lot of rain," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said on Thursday. Noting the heavy bands on the hurricane's northeast quadrant, he added, "We are on the bad side of this storm."

Just below the border, in Horry County, S.C., officials instituted a curfew on Thursday, to last from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day "until further notice." Other areas, including the cities of Darlington, S.C., to Greenville, N.C., imposed their own curfews, set to begin Thursday night.

As the storm approached, Michael Cramer, the town manager of Carolina Beach, N.C., told NPR's Morning Edition that "easily a third of our community will be underwater" if the worst predictions are fulfilled.

Carolina Beach lies on a narrow strip of land in the southern part of North Carolina. From east to west, the community is less than a dozen blocks deep, with the Atlantic on one side and the Cape Fear River on the other.

Cramer says they're expecting ocean water to flow over the sand dunes and bring sand into the town. On the inland side facing the river, Cramer says rising waters will likely be "lapping at the first floor of our elevated homes."

This vulnerable area has been under mandatory evacuation orders since last night at 8 p.m., and those who are choosing to ride out the storm have been under a mandatory curfew since that time, to keep people inside.

That has left a sort of ghost town. Cramer said the police chief informed him that as of this morning, the only people in sight were "two or three stragglers."

Along North Carolina's Pamlico River, the area is bracing for storm surge of up to 13 feet, and all low-lying and flood-prone areas are under mandatory evacuation orders.

"This time it's important. If you're in a low lying area, get out," Mac Hodges, the mayor of the town of Washington, told NPR's Brakkton Booker. "Because I don't know that we can go in and get you."

At the nearby Arthur Christian Church, Booker reports, about twenty people were praying together as the storm barreled toward the Carolinas. "Gracious heavenly father God, just with those in the flood zone, may the damage not be so much," they prayed.

For anyone who stayed behind near the coast, or find themselves facing the brunt of the storm, officials are offering safety advice. Among the tips: Prepare a safety kit and avoid driving through floodwater.</s>Hurricane Florence is thrashing the Carolina coast with devastating flooding and hurricane-force winds. One of the hardest hit areas so far is New Bern, North Carolina, where about 150 people are waiting to be rescued after more than 10 feet of powerful storm surge flooded the small city. A mandatory evacuation order was issued for the area earlier this week.

Police say 150-200 residents have already been rescued in New Bern and 150 or more people are awaiting rescue, reports CBS News' Kris Van Cleave. Water levels are expected to rise further later today during high tide.

As the storm slowly churned toward the shore, people who chose not to evacuate got caught in the floodwaters. They tried desperately to return to their homes as the Neuse River overflowed its banks. The city of New Bern tweeted to its residents early Friday morning, "We have 2 out-of-state FEMA teams here for swift water rescue. More are on the way to help us. WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU."

New Bern residents were putting out calls for help on social media, claiming they couldn't get through to 911. Lt. David Daniels of the New Bern Police Department told "CBS This Morning" that 911 calls in his town are being answered and the "system is up and working."

If anybody could help... our cars is under water and so is our house stuck in attic. Phone about to die please send help to 611 Watson ave, new bern. NC — bree (@Breeanna_xoxo) September 14, 2018

Daniels said there are no reports of injuries at this time and recommends people get out if they're able to safely do so but warned against driving in standing water.

New Bern Mayor Dana Outlaw confirmed there were no reports of fatalities as of early Friday morning.

"New Bern is just not used to this level of a hurricane," Outlaw said.

The New Bern Police Department tweeted early Thursday evening "City of New Bern officials are encouraging all residents to shelter in place due to Hurricane Florence." But Outlaw said on Friday morning it's "not a bad idea to get in your car and get west of I-95" if residents feel they can safely do so.

Update: Pics of flooding downtown while looking for citizens who may need assistance. @CityofNewBern #HurricaneFlorence2018 pic.twitter.com/Ebgfh1hlt5 — New Bern PD (@NewBernPD) September 14, 2018

Craven County Emergency Management confirmed reports there are New Bern residents trapped on rooftops. Storm surge search and rescue operations have been underway across the county.

New Bern police have issued a 24-hour mandatory curfew starting at 7 a.m. Friday morning.

So that really did just happen. The water started rising and we evacuated almost an entire TV station in about 15 minutes. — JaimeMcCutcheon-WCTI (@jaimemccutcheon) September 13, 2018

The Category 1 storm forced ABC affiliate WCTI 12 in New Bern to evacuate during a live broadcast. WCTI anchor Jaime McCutcheon tweeted: "So that really did just happen. The water started rising and we evacuated almost an entire TV station in about 15 minutes."

Meanwhile, CBS affiliate WNCT reports that more than 60 people, including an infant and children, were rescued from a hotel in Jacksonville, N.C. after strong winds threatened the structural integrity of the building.</s>Scenes From The Carolina Coast As Hurricane Florence Surges Ashore

Storm surges of 9 to 13 feet and rainfall up to 40 inches: those are two of the most dire warnings about Hurricane Florence's effect on parts of North and South Carolina. Thousands have heeded evacuations orders; others are hoping to cope with the storm in their homes or at local shelters.

Weather and emergency officials are warning people in Florence's path not to interpret maps showing the location of the storm's center, or reports that it's losing top wind strength, as signs that they should relax. The storm is huge, the National Hurricane Center says, and its worst effects will reach "a large area regardless of exactly where the center of Florence moves."

Thousands of power outages have been reported due to Florence. As of 2:40 p.m. ET, more than 15,000 customers along the coast were without power, according to outage maps from Duke Energy and the N.C. Electric Cooperatives.

North Carolina had 108 shelters open, and South Carolina reported having 56 shelters open on Thursday morning, as the storm loomed toward the coast. Both North Carolina and South Carolina are updating their lists of emergency shelters for people caught out by the storm.

In Shallotte, N.C., a coastal town near the border with South Carolina, emergency orders forced a Waffle House to shut down — an act that was widely seen as a sign of respect for Florence's imposing size and strength. But the restaurant had locked its doors only to comply with a police order.

When staff realized a nearby Bojangles would stay open, NBC's Matt Bradley says, they opened back up. Customers have included police from nearby Myrtle Beach, an employee told Bradley.

That mix of impressions — a respect for this storm's sheer size and the massive amount of rain and seawater it brings, along with a resignation to storms being part of life on the coast — is also part of the reaction in low-lying areas to the north.

On Thursday morning, a tweet from South Carolina's Emergency Management Division brought this perspective on Florence's sheer size: It's "larger than South Carolina and North Carolina combined."

Even as the first bands of Florence's rains and strong winds began to whip North Carolina's shore Thursday morning, ocean water ran into the streets on the southern end of North Carolina's Hatteras Island, according to The Virginian-Pilot's Jeff Hampton.

In addition to the storm surge, "There is going to be a lot of rain," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said on Thursday. Noting the heavy bands on the hurricane's northeast quadrant, he added, "We are on the bad side of this storm."

Just below the border, in Horry County, S.C., officials instituted a curfew on Thursday, to last from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day "until further notice." Other areas, including the cities of Darlington, S.C., to Greenville, N.C., imposed their own curfews, set to begin Thursday night.

As the storm approached, Michael Cramer, the town manager of Carolina Beach, N.C., told NPR's Morning Edition that "easily a third of our community will be underwater" if the worst predictions are fulfilled.

Carolina Beach lies on a narrow strip of land in the southern part of North Carolina. From east to west, the community is less than a dozen blocks deep, with the Atlantic on one side and the Cape Fear River on the other.

Cramer says they're expecting ocean water to flow over the sand dunes and bring sand into the town. On the inland side facing the river, Cramer says rising waters will likely be "lapping at the first floor of our elevated homes."

This vulnerable area has been under mandatory evacuation orders since last night at 8 p.m., and those who are choosing to ride out the storm have been under a mandatory curfew since that time, to keep people inside.

That has left a sort of ghost town. Cramer said the police chief informed him that as of this morning, the only people in sight were "two or three stragglers."

Along North Carolina's Pamlico River, the area is bracing for storm surge of up to 13 feet, and all low-lying and flood-prone areas are under mandatory evacuation orders.

"This time it's important. If you're in a low lying area, get out," Mac Hodges, the mayor of the town of Washington, told NPR's Brakkton Booker. "Because I don't know that we can go in and get you."

At the nearby Arthur Christian Church, Booker reports, about twenty people were praying together as the storm barreled toward the Carolinas. "Gracious heavenly father God, just with those in the flood zone, may the damage not be so much," they prayed.

For anyone who stayed behind near the coast, or find themselves facing the brunt of the storm, officials are offering safety advice. Among the tips: Prepare a safety kit and avoid driving through floodwater.</s>(CNN) — At least four people, including a mother and her infant, have died in North Carolina as Tropical Storm Florence slowly moves through the Carolinas, officials said Friday.

After coming ashore Friday morning as a Category 1 hurricane, Florence was downgraded to a tropical storm Friday afternoon.

Two people died in Wilmington after a tree fell on their house, the city’s police department said.

“WPD can confirm the first two fatalities of Hurricane #Florence in Wilmington. A mother and infant were killed when a tree fell on their house,” police tweeted Friday afternoon. “The father was transported to (New Hanover Regional Medical Center) with injuries.”

The hospital said it has received three injured patients.

In the town of Hampstead, emergency responders going to a call for cardiac arrest Friday morning found their path blocked by downed trees. When they got to the home, the woman was deceased, Chad McEwen, assistant county manager for Pender County, said.

The fourth person who died was a man in Lenoir County who was hooking up a generator, Gov. Roy Cooper’s office said.

Florence is inching along after making landfall in North Carolina, trapping people in flooded homes and promising days of destruction and human suffering.

Storm surges, punishing winds and rain are turning some towns into rushing rivers — and the storm is expected to crawl over parts of the Carolinas into the weekend, pounding some of the same areas over and over.

“The storm is going to continue its violent grind across our state for days,” Cooper warned residents at a news conference.

In the besieged city of New Bern, North Carolina, rescuers had plucked more than 200 people from rising waters by midmorning, but about 150 more had to wait as conditions worsened and a storm surge reached 10 feet, officials said.

By Friday, Florence already had:
• Sapped power to more than 620,000 customers in North and South Carolina, emergency officials said.
• Forced 26,000 people into more than 200 emergency shelters across the Carolinas.
• Pushed more than 60 people to evacuate from a hotel in Jacksonville, North Carolina, after part of the roof collapsed, city officials said.
• Prompted 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 40,000 electric workers to mobilize in response.
• Canceled more than 1,100 flights along the East Coast on Friday and Saturday.
• Florence’s location: By 5 p.m., Florence’s center was about 25 miles northeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and was crawling at 3 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph.
• Prolonged, dangerous winds: Tropical storm-force winds extend 175 miles from Florence’s center. The storm is expected to lumber into far southeastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina through Saturday, punishing the area with rain and damaging winds.
• Flooding for miles: Up to 40 inches of rain, and storm surges pushing water inland and not allowing rivers to drain, “will produce catastrophic flash flooding and prolonged significant river flooding,” the National Hurricane Center says. “You’re going to have flooding miles and miles inland,” the center’s director, Ken Graham, said.
• Record gusts: Wilmington’s airport recorded a 105-mph wind gust — the fastest measured since Hurricane Helene hit the city in 1958, the National Hurricane Center said.
• Nuclear plant shutdown: A nuclear power plant in Brunswick, North Carolina, shut down operations because of the storm, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission said on Twitter. “Plant procedures call for the reactors to be shut down before the anticipated onset of hurricane-force winds,” agency spokesman Joey Ledford told CNN. Federal officials had said midweek they weren’t concerned about that facility or five other nuclear plants in the storm’s path, calling them “hardened.” Expert scientists, however, had said they were worried about Brunswick because of scant public information about its readiness.

Florence’s rain will bring 40 inches to some parts of the Carolinas, forecasters said. Rainfall totals will be similar to those in hurricanes Dennis and Floyd in 1999, the National Weather Service’s Chris Wamsley said

“The only difference is, back then it was within 14 days,” he said. With Florence, “we’re looking at the same amount of rainfall in three days.”

One of the rescuers in New Bern was Jason Weinmann, a retired Marine who has a military troop transport vehicle he bought at a government auction.

He picked up 10 people on one run and took them to a shelter. Jennifer Morales, 20, said there was 3 feet of water in her home.

“It was pretty bad. We didn’t know where to go,” she said.

Peggy Perry, who was rescued by another group in New Bern, said rising water forced her into the upper level of her home.

“In a matter of seconds, my house was flooded up to the waist, and now it is to the chest,” said Perry, who was trapped early Friday with three relatives. “We are stuck in the attic.”

Swift-water rescue teams from out of state helped local rescuers evacuate people whenever conditions allowed. One team from Maryland helped with about 40 rescues in New Bern starting Thursday, member Mitchell Rusland said.

Craven County, where New Bern is located, had logged more than 100 service calls from residents trapped on their roofs or in their cars, county spokeswoman Amber Parker said.

In Belhaven, the Pungo River roared into town, crashing up against homes at a waist-high level and higher late Thursday and early Friday, video from Amy Johnson showed.

Just west of downtown Wilmington, firefighters spent hours trying to rescue people.

Wilmington Fire Chief Buddy Martinette praised his firefighters, who by policy are supposed to stop operating when winds pick up above 50 mph.

“We haven’t been … able to get in that policy. … ,” Martinette said. “The firefighters have basically been out here all during the hurricane,” answering rescue and fire calls.

In Morehead City, Brooke Kittrell rode out the storm Thursday and Friday with her boyfriend aboard their docked boat, hoping it didn’t break loose and slam something.

She succeeded — staying awake all night, retying broken dock lines in howling winds. But there were times she thought they wouldn’t survive, she told CNN.

“I honestly cried,” Kittrell said. “I was born and raised here and been through every storm the last 30 years, but this one seems to be doing more damage than we expected.”

By Friday morning, the shore was flooded, and buildings were damaged, in video she put up on Facebook.

In Jacksonville, North Carolina, city officials posted photos of toppled gas pumps and a downed trees early Friday, warning residents to take shelter and avoid roadways.

Officials in several states have declared states of emergency, including in the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland, where coastal areas are still recovering from summer storms.</s>Storm surges of 9 to 13 feet and rainfall up to 40 inches: those are two of the most dire warnings about Hurricane Florence's effect on parts of North and South Carolina. Thousands have heeded evacuations orders; others are hoping to cope with the storm in their homes or at local shelters.

Weather and emergency officials are warning people in Florence's path not to interpret maps showing the location of the storm's center, or reports that it's losing top wind strength, as signs that they should relax. The storm is huge, the National Hurricane Center says, and its worst effects will reach "a large area regardless of exactly where the center of Florence moves."

Thousands of power outages have been reported due to Florence. As of 2:40 p.m. ET, more than 15,000 customers along the coast were without power, according to outage maps from Duke Energy and the N.C. Electric Cooperatives.

North Carolina had 108 shelters open, and South Carolina reported having 56 shelters open on Thursday morning, as the storm loomed toward the coast. Both North Carolina and South Carolina are updating their lists of emergency shelters for people caught out by the storm.

In Shallotte, N.C., a coastal town near the border with South Carolina, emergency orders forced a Waffle House to shut down — an act that was widely seen as a sign of respect for Florence's imposing size and strength. But the restaurant had locked its doors only to comply with a police order.

When staff realized a nearby Bojangles would stay open, NBC's Matt Bradley says, they opened back up. Customers have included police from nearby Myrtle Beach, an employee told Bradley.

That mix of impressions — a respect for this storm's sheer size and the massive amount of rain and seawater it brings, along with a resignation to storms being part of life on the coast — is also part of the reaction in low-lying areas to the north.

On Thursday morning, a tweet from South Carolina's Emergency Management Division brought this perspective on Florence's sheer size: It's "larger than South Carolina and North Carolina combined."

Even as the first bands of Florence's rains and strong winds began to whip North Carolina's shore Thursday morning, ocean water ran into the streets on the southern end of North Carolina's Hatteras Island, according to The Virginian-Pilot's Jeff Hampton.

In addition to the storm surge, "There is going to be a lot of rain," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said on Thursday. Noting the heavy bands on the hurricane's northeast quadrant, he added, "We are on the bad side of this storm."

Just below the border, in Horry County, S.C., officials instituted a curfew on Thursday, to last from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day "until further notice." Other areas, including the cities of Darlington, S.C., to Greenville, N.C., imposed their own curfews, set to begin Thursday night.

As the storm approached, Michael Cramer, the town manager of Carolina Beach, N.C., told NPR's Morning Edition that "easily a third of our community will be underwater" if the worst predictions are fulfilled.

Carolina Beach lies on a narrow strip of land in the southern part of North Carolina. From east to west, the community is less than a dozen blocks deep, with the Atlantic on one side and the Cape Fear River on the other.

Cramer says they're expecting ocean water to flow over the sand dunes and bring sand into the town. On the inland side facing the river, Cramer says rising waters will likely be "lapping at the first floor of our elevated homes."

This vulnerable area has been under mandatory evacuation orders since last night at 8 p.m., and those who are choosing to ride out the storm have been under a mandatory curfew since that time, to keep people inside.

That has left a sort of ghost town. Cramer said the police chief informed him that as of this morning, the only people in sight were "two or three stragglers."

Along North Carolina's Pamlico River, the area is bracing for storm surge of up to 13 feet, and all low-lying and flood-prone areas are under mandatory evacuation orders.

"This time it's important. If you're in a low lying area, get out," Mac Hodges, the mayor of the town of Washington, told NPR's Brakkton Booker. "Because I don't know that we can go in and get you."

At the nearby Arthur Christian Church, Booker reports, about twenty people were praying together as the storm barreled toward the Carolinas. "Gracious heavenly father God, just with those in the flood zone, may the damage not be so much," they prayed.

For anyone who stayed behind near the coast, or find themselves facing the brunt of the storm, officials are offering safety advice. Among the tips: Prepare a safety kit and avoid driving through floodwater.</s>The category one hurricane was sat 10 miles east of Wilmington, North Carolina, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its 11am BST (6am EDT) update. “Landfall of the center will occur very soon.” 90mph winds have slowed to 59mph ahead of Florence’s approach - but the biggest threat comes from the rain, with forecasters predicting eight months’ worth might fall in just two or three days.

Up to 40 inches could drench the worst affected areas, the NHC said. The weather warning read: “Southeastern coastal North Carolina into far northeastern South Carolina...an additional 20 to 25 inches, with isolated storm totals of 30 to 40 inches. Other areas of South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia will see between 5 and 10 inches, with 15 inches in isolated parts.

Tornados are also expected in eastern Northern Carolina. What is happening right now? Live web cams and video footage are showing the devastation from Florence’s storm surges with one showing water shooting past houses after breaking through flood barriers. Rescue workers are scrambling to rescue 150 people trapped by rising flood waters in the coastal city of New Bern, North Carolina.

The city’s official Twitter account wrote: “We have 2 out-of-state FEMA teams here for swift water rescue. “More on the way to help us. WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU. You may need to move up to the second story, or to your attic, but WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU.” Storm surges of up to 11 feet are predicted between Cape Fear and Cape Lookout in North Carolina. One Twitter user in Buxton, North Carolina, tweeted terrifying footage of the pounding winds and rains hitting outside.</s>Storm surges of 9 to 13 feet and rainfall up to 40 inches: those are two of the most dire warnings about Hurricane Florence's effect on parts of North and South Carolina. Thousands have heeded evacuations orders; others are hoping to cope with the storm in their homes or at local shelters.

Weather and emergency officials are warning people in Florence's path not to interpret maps showing the location of the storm's center, or reports that it's losing top wind strength, as signs that they should relax. The storm is huge, the National Hurricane Center says, and its worst effects will reach "a large area regardless of exactly where the center of Florence moves."

Thousands of power outages have been reported due to Florence. As of 2:40 p.m. ET, more than 15,000 customers along the coast were without power, according to outage maps from Duke Energy and the N.C. Electric Cooperatives.

North Carolina had 108 shelters open, and South Carolina reported having 56 shelters open on Thursday morning, as the storm loomed toward the coast. Both North Carolina and South Carolina are updating their lists of emergency shelters for people caught out by the storm.

In Shallotte, N.C., a coastal town near the border with South Carolina, emergency orders forced a Waffle House to shut down — an act that was widely seen as a sign of respect for Florence's imposing size and strength. But the restaurant had locked its doors only to comply with a police order.

When staff realized a nearby Bojangles would stay open, NBC's Matt Bradley says, they opened back up. Customers have included police from nearby Myrtle Beach, an employee told Bradley.

That mix of impressions — a respect for this storm's sheer size and the massive amount of rain and seawater it brings, along with a resignation to storms being part of life on the coast — is also part of the reaction in low-lying areas to the north.

On Thursday morning, a tweet from South Carolina's Emergency Management Division brought this perspective on Florence's sheer size: It's "larger than South Carolina and North Carolina combined."

Even as the first bands of Florence's rains and strong winds began to whip North Carolina's shore Thursday morning, ocean water ran into the streets on the southern end of North Carolina's Hatteras Island, according to The Virginian-Pilot's Jeff Hampton.

In addition to the storm surge, "There is going to be a lot of rain," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said on Thursday. Noting the heavy bands on the hurricane's northeast quadrant, he added, "We are on the bad side of this storm."

Just below the border, in Horry County, S.C., officials instituted a curfew on Thursday, to last from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day "until further notice." Other areas, including the cities of Darlington, S.C., to Greenville, N.C., imposed their own curfews, set to begin Thursday night.

As the storm approached, Michael Cramer, the town manager of Carolina Beach, N.C., told NPR's Morning Edition that "easily a third of our community will be underwater" if the worst predictions are fulfilled.

Carolina Beach lies on a narrow strip of land in the southern part of North Carolina. From east to west, the community is less than a dozen blocks deep, with the Atlantic on one side and the Cape Fear River on the other.

Cramer says they're expecting ocean water to flow over the sand dunes and bring sand into the town. On the inland side facing the river, Cramer says rising waters will likely be "lapping at the first floor of our elevated homes."

This vulnerable area has been under mandatory evacuation orders since last night at 8 p.m., and those who are choosing to ride out the storm have been under a mandatory curfew since that time, to keep people inside.

That has left a sort of ghost town. Cramer said the police chief informed him that as of this morning, the only people in sight were "two or three stragglers."

Along North Carolina's Pamlico River, the area is bracing for storm surge of up to 13 feet, and all low-lying and flood-prone areas are under mandatory evacuation orders.

"This time it's important. If you're in a low lying area, get out," Mac Hodges, the mayor of the town of Washington, told NPR's Brakkton Booker. "Because I don't know that we can go in and get you."

At the nearby Arthur Christian Church, Booker reports, about twenty people were praying together as the storm barreled toward the Carolinas. "Gracious heavenly father God, just with those in the flood zone, may the damage not be so much," they prayed.

For anyone who stayed behind near the coast, or find themselves facing the brunt of the storm, officials are offering safety advice. Among the tips: Prepare a safety kit and avoid driving through floodwater.</s>Hurricane Florence is thrashing the Carolina coast with devastating flooding and hurricane-force winds. One of the hardest hit areas so far is New Bern, North Carolina, where about 100 people are waiting to be rescued after more than 10 feet of powerful storm surge flooded the small city. A mandatory evacuation order was issued for the area earlier this week.

Police say 150-200 residents have already been rescued in New Bern and about 100 are awaiting rescue.

As the storm slowly churned toward the shore, people who chose not to evacuate got caught in the floodwaters. They tried desperately to return to their homes as the Neuse River overflowed its banks. The city of New Bern tweeted to its residents early Friday morning, "We have 2 out-of-state FEMA teams here for swift water rescue. More are on the way to help us. WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU."

New Bern residents were putting out calls for help on social media, claiming they couldn't get through to 911. Lt. David Daniels of the New Bern Police Department told "CBS This Morning" that 911 calls in his town are being answered and the "system is up and working."

Daniels said there are no reports of injuries at this time and recommends people get out if they're able to safely do so but warned against driving in standing water.

New Bern Mayor Dana Outlaw confirmed there were no reports of fatalities as of early Friday morning.

"New Bern is just not used to this level of a hurricane," Outlaw said.

The New Bern Police Department tweeted early Thursday evening "City of New Bern officials are encouraging all residents to shelter in place due to Hurricane Florence." But Outlaw said on Friday morning it's "not a bad idea to get in your car and get west of I-95" if residents feel they can safely do so.

Craven County Emergency Management confirmed reports there are New Bern residents trapped on rooftops. Storm surge search and rescue operations have been underway across the county.

New Bern police have issued a 24-hour mandatory curfew starting at 7 a.m. Friday morning.

The Category 1 storm forced ABC affiliate WCTI 12 in New Bern to evacuate during a live broadcast. WCTI anchor Jaime McCutcheon tweeted: "So that really did just happen. The water started rising and we evacuated almost an entire TV station in about 15 minutes."

Meanwhile, CBS affiliate WNCT reports that more than 60 people, including an infant and children, were rescued from a hotel in Jacksonville, N.C. after strong winds threatened the structural integrity of the building.
More than 150 residents in New Bern, North Carolina, are left stranded after 10-foot (3 m)–high storm surges flood the city.