Hurricane Florence: Warning Issued to Over Five Million People on the Eastern Coast of the U.S.

As Hurricane Florence approaches the eastern coast of the United States, potentially the strongest storm in three decades, an evacuation order has been issued for over 1.7 million people in coastal areas of South and North Carolina. The National Weather Service reports that Florence will reach the coasts of both Carolinas with a speed of 225 kilometers per hour. The service has also warned over 5.4 million people living in the path of Hurricane Florence along the eastern coast of the U.S. According to reports, several airlines have already canceled flights on Thursday and Friday to cities in the path of Hurricane Florence. The Associated Press states that courts in over 40 cities in North and South Carolina will be closed starting Wednesday. U.S. government officials have announced their readiness to deal with the consequences of Hurricane Florence. President Donald Trump has stated, 'We are fully prepared. This storm will be a big one. We have not seen such a storm in recent years.' Meanwhile, television images have shown long lines of cars at gas stations in coastal cities of North and South Carolina. Roy Cooper, the governor of North Carolina, emphasized in an interview with CNN that Hurricane Florence will affect the entire state and that they are closely monitoring the storm's path. He urged residents in coastal cities to cooperate with local authorities and heed security warnings. The National Hurricane Center has also announced that Florence will arrive on the eastern coast of the U.S. with strong winds and heavy rain, likely causing widespread flooding. The center confirmed that Florence will be a very dangerous storm when it makes landfall in the eastern U.S. on Thursday.