Florence pummels the Carolinas

By Brian Ries, Veronica Rocha, Meg Wagner, Paul P. Murphy and Eric Levenson, CNN

Updated 8:11 a.m. ET, September 17, 2018
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2:42 p.m. ET, September 15, 2018

Fayetteville Mayor: Notify next of kin if you ignore mandatory evacuation order

Fayetteville, North Carolina, Mayor Mitch Colvin just warned residents that if they refused to leave the area, which officials say could soon be inundated with rising river water, they need to notify their next of kin "because loss of life is very, very possible."

“Please take this seriously,” he said. “The worst is yet to come, get to higher ground now, once flood waters rise, it will be hard to get to you to rescue,”

The Red Cross is asking for volunteers by going through its website. There is transportation provided for anyone who needs it, the mayor said.

3:24 p.m. ET, September 15, 2018

Cumberland County officials: We do believe Cape Fear River will crest at 62 feet

"We do believe the Cape Fear River will crest at 62 feet which is less than Hurricane Matthew. We are being cautious -- I will tell you that -- because we don’t know for sure that 62 feet is the top crest," Tracy Jackson, Cumberland County Emergency Services Interim Director, said in a presser.

"That is what we're anticipating, but we are preparing for worse if we need to," he added.

As a precaution, the county has issued a mandatory evacuation for people one mile on either side of the Cape Fear river.

1:54 p.m. ET, September 15, 2018

Fayetteville police warn everyone within a mile of the river to evacuate

Residents of Cumberland County, the city of Fayetteville, and the town of Wade, have been ordered to evacuate as officials fear rising river waters will lead to widespread flooding.

"All residents within one mile of the banks of the Cape Fear and Little River should leave IMMEDIATELY," the police department tweeted, as the city's communications director told CNN "the worst is yet to come."

"We're starting to see the waters rise rapidly. It's something we've seen before with hurricane Matthew. It's going to be a little bit worse this time around," Kevin Arata said.

"What we're telling people is the worse is yet to come. Really the rains are starting to collect because it's hitting harder up north. When it goes into those banks or tributaries up there and then comes down, that's where trouble starts. While we haven't seen it rise all the way yet, it's going to happen here in the next 24 to 48 hours," he said.

1:36 p.m. ET, September 15, 2018

The Carolina coast has at least 12 more hours of rain to go

Florence is traveling westward, but it's not done dumping rain on the Carolina coast.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar said some coastal areas of North and South Carolina should prepare for another 12 hours of rain — or more.

"That question of when does it finally end is on a lot of folk's minds. The problem is for the majority of them, you still have at least probably a good 12 hours to go, if not longer," she said.

That's because Florence is moving at a speed of about 2 mph. That's slower than most people walk.

"You could probably walk faster than this storm has been moving. The good news is it is still moving," she said.
1:13 p.m. ET, September 15, 2018

1 dead in South Carolina

From CNN's Chuck Johnson

A 61-year-old woman died in South Carolina when her car hit a tree that fell in Hurricane Florence, according to South Carolina Office of Emergency Management spokesman Antonio Diggs.

Diggs said the woman was driving in Union County on Friday but did give any additional details.

This is the first death reported in South Carolina linked to the storm. Five people have died in North Carolina:

  • A mother and her infant child died in Wilmington after a tree fell on their house, the city's police department said.
  • In the town of Hampstead, a woman in cardiac arrest was found dead after emergency responders found their path blocked by downed trees, assistant county manager for Pender County, said.
  • Two men in Lenoir County also died: One who was hooking up a generator and another who was checking on his dogs outside.

1:07 p.m. ET, September 15, 2018

More than 150 blood drives were canceled because of Florence

The American Red Cross says more than 150 blood drives have been canceled through early next week in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia because of Florence.

Those cancelations will result in more than 4,400 uncollected blood and platelet donations, the organization said.

"We need platelet blood donations now, and in the coming days, to recover the donations canceled by the storm," the Red Cross said in a statement.

The organization is encouraging residents in unaffected areas to donate blood to help.

12:49 p.m. ET, September 15, 2018

North Carolina governor: If you're safe, stay put

Florence is unloading "epic amounts of rainfall," North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said in a press conference Saturday.

“The flood danger from this storm is more immediate today than when it made landfall 24 hours ago,” he said.

Cooper also offered advice for residents:

  • "If you are safe, stay put. We know that people are anxious to get back home. But don't go back until this storm passes and you get the official all clear."
  • "Water is rising fast everywhere, even in places that don't typically flood. Many people who think that the storm has missed them have yet to see its threat."
  • "Remember, most storm deaths occur from drowning in fresh water, often in cars. Don't drive across standing or moving water."

On top of the advice, Cooper shared some words of hope and inspiration.

"We in North Carolina have been through tough storms and this one is sure testing us," he said. "But now is the time for us to persevere. I have never known North Carolinians to quit in the face of a challenge and we're not about to start."

Watch more:

12:36 p.m. ET, September 15, 2018

These are the top wind speeds recorded across North Carolina

A volunteer rescue truck drives underneath a fallen tree in New Bern, North Carolina.
A volunteer rescue truck drives underneath a fallen tree in New Bern, North Carolina. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The National Weather Service is tracking wind speeds across North Carolina.

Here's a look at some of the peak gusts recorded across the state:

  • New River inlet: 112 mph                  
  • Fort Macon: 105 mph                   
  • Wilmington International Airport: 105 mph                 
  • Cape Lookout: 97 mph                  
  • Cedar Island: 89 mph                  
  • Cherry Point: 87 mph                   
  • Jacksonville: 86 mph                   
  • Frisco Woods: 80 mph                  
  • Ocracoke: 80 mph                   

11:58 a.m. ET, September 15, 2018

How the government is responding to Florence, by the numbers

From CNN's From Greg Wallace and Lauren Fox

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency just gave an update on how they're handling Florence. They said they believe they have adequate supplies including meals and generators.

Here are the latest numbers FEMA provided:

  • 6,500 National Guard have deployed. Another 2,900 active duty are also standing by. 
  • 7,500 Coast Guard have deployed.
  • 43 helicopters are in use, and the Coast Guard is beginning to conduct flights to assess damage and the situation on the ground.
  • The military has 1,300 high-water trucks working and available in the region.   
  • The Army Corps of Engineers has 120 generators available in the region and more are on the way.  
  • US Health & Human Services has 560 personnel deployed, mostly assisting individuals at shelters with their health care needs.   
  • The one number we don't have? There's no cost estimate from FEMA for this storm. However, “This is going to be a costly storm," officials said.