At least 37 people have died as a result of Hurricane Florence, according to AP.
The most recent tragedy happened in South Carolina when two women drowned to death as floodwaters from the Little Pee Dee River engulfed the van taking them to a mental health facility Tuesday night, authorities said. Their bodies were recovered Wednesday evening.
US President Donald Trump arrived in storm-ravaged North Carolina on Wednesday to visit residents in the hard-hit coastal town of New Bern.
"America grieves with you and our hearts break for you. God bless you. We will never forget your loss," Trump said. "To all those impacted by this terrible storm, our entire American family is with you and ready to help. You will recover."
US President Donald Trump embraces a boy while helping hand out meals with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (L) at a distribution center at Temple Baptist Church while participating in a tour of Hurricane Florence recovery efforts in New Bern, North Carolina, US, September 19, 2018. /VCG Photo
Trump also traveled to Conway, South Carolina, where floodwaters are expected to rise again as early as Friday. He surveyed flooding and addressed first responders at the Horry County Emergency Operations Center.
"You're going to have a rebuilding process and we are behind you from day one," Trump said, calling this the "calm before the storm because you're going to have a lot of water."
US President Donald Trump speaks to officials at the Horry County Emergency Operations Center in Conway, South Carolina, September 19, 2018, during a tour of areas devastated by Hurricane Florence. /VCG Photo
Landing as a Category 1 hurricane last Friday and downgraded to a tropical depression, Florence continues to wreak havoc with further flooding as well as potential dam failures and landslides.
North Carolina's governor pleaded with thousands of evacuees not to return home just yet.
"I know it was hard to leave home, and it is even harder to wait and wonder whether you even have a home to go back to," Gov. Roy Cooper said.
Residents work to recover valuables from flooded homes throughout the neighborhood after the dam on Prestwood Lake overflowed, September 18, 2018. /VCG Photo
After submerging North Carolina with nearly 1 meter of rain, the storm dumped more than 16.5 centimeters of rain in the Northeast, where it caused flash flooding.
Cooper warned that the flooding is far from over and will get worse in places.
"I know for many people this feels like a nightmare that just won't end," he said, urging people to stay put for now, particularly those from the hardest-hit coastal counties that include Wilmington, near where Florence blew ashore on Friday.
Cars sit in floodwater caused by Hurricane Florence, in this aerial picture, in Lumberton, North Carolina, US, September 17, 2018. /VCG Photo
Moody's Analytics has initially estimated the cost of Hurricane Florence's damage at between 17 billion and 22 billion US dollars, making it one of the 10 most costly hurricanes in US history.