A state of emergency has been declared in Washington DC ahead of Hurricane Florence striking.
The measure was announced by Mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, and is set to be in place for 15 days.
She warned: “We know there will be heavy rain, flooding and possible power outages.”
Experts warn the hurricane could be ‘most catastrophic in decades’ as satellite photos show the sheer scale of the approaching storm.
Millions of Americans are busy preparing for what could become one of the most catastrophic hurricanes to hit the east coast in decades, with mandatory evacuations already issued for parts of three states.
Hurricane Florence is getting stronger as it travels over the Atlantic and could become a Category 5 storm today with winds up to 140 mph.
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The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm is busy strengthening as it makes its way to the US and is shaping up to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane by the time it hits on Thursday.
It is then forecast to close in on North or South Carolina on Thursday, hitting a stretch of coastline that is vulnerable to rising sea levels due to climate change.
Yesterday President Donald Trump tweeted: "The Storms in the Atlantic are very dangerous. We encourage anyone in the path of these storms to prepare themselves and to heed the warnings of State and Local officials. The Federal Government is closely monitoring and ready to assist. We are with you!"
"Make your plans now," South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster urged residents during a news conference yesterday.
"Presume that a major hurricane is going to hit right smack dab in the middle of South Carolina."
Henry McMaster has ordered more than 1 million residents along his state’s coastline to leave starting at noon on Tuesday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has warned that life-threatening flooding is likely to follow heavy rainfall in the Carolinas and Mid Atlantic.
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