Hurricane Florence: Eastern US states brace for massive storm

World
Europe

01:33

Apart from the political upheaval, another storm is brewing in the US, final preparations are underway - as Hurricane Florence barrels towards the east coast. More than a million people have been ordered to evacuate. And emergency crews from around the country have been deployed, as Karin Caifa reports.

ROY COOPER GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA "This storm is a monster. It's big and it's vicious."

Hurricane Florence is intensifying as it rumbles towards the Carolinas.

ROY COOPER GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA "It is an extremely dangerous, life-threatening, historic hurricane."

It's barrelling towards an area not used to hurricanes this big. The category 4 Florence is expected to become the most destructive hurricane to hit this far north on the east coast since 1954. Forecasters say the storm has potential to strengthen even more-- and bring 157-mile per hour winds when it makes landfall.

"You gotta get off the beach. There's nothing you can do. You're not gonna stop the water. You're not gonna stop the wind. If you don't get off you're gonna get casualties."

And as people along the coast pack up and make their way inland-- help from around the country is on the way, an Oklahoma utility company is sending dozens of trucks and workers to north Carolina.

"The biggest challenge is getting everyone there safely."

Several states are also sending assistance-- help is coming from as far away as California-- where firefighters have started the long trek to lend a hand. Fema is ramping up preparations, and gathering water, meals, and generators to distribute as needed.

JEFF BYARD FEMA ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR RESPONSE AND RECOVERY "We're planning for devastation. It's gonna dump amounts of water that some of these areas have not seen in a long long time."