North Carolina • Hurricane Florence made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, battering the region with water and wind, threatening to unleash widespread destruction and stranding some people.
The Category 1 storm carried maximum sustained winds of 90 miles an hour, menacing the coast with life-threatening storm surges and heavy rains. Landfall occurred at 7:15 a.m., the National Hurricane Center said. Rivers in the region are already reaching toward flood stage, with warnings in place throughout the Carolinas, according to the National Weather Service. The service also warned of potential of tornadoes.
"It is a very dangerous situation; it is a very life-threatening situation," Ken Graham, National Hurricane Center director, said in an online presentation.