United States, September 12: Hurricane Florence is predicted to hit the eastern coast of US sometime on Thursday. It is considered as a category 4 storm. The National Weather Service said that Hurricane will bring life-threatening storm and rainfall to parts of Carolina and Mid-Atlantic states. More than a million people have been ordered to evacuate from these states ahead of the storm.

According to the last update, Florence's centre or the eye of the storm had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph or 225km per hour. The storm is expected to only get stronger, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update at 5 PM ET, “Florence is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane through Thursday.” That’s unusual, for a storm to be so intense so far north, says Marshall Shepherd, director of the University of Georgia’s atmospheric sciences programme. Hurricane Florence: What We Know of this Category 4 Storm Heading for the U.S. East Coast

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Centre, a Category 4 storm can cause severe damage to well-built framed homes. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks or possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for a long while due to flooding.

The storm is expected to make a landfall near North Carolina, Wilmington on Thursday and impact starting as soon as on Wednesday.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said on Monday that mandatory evacuations are in place for Dare, New Hanover, Currituck and Hyde counties. Voluntary evacuations are in effect for Brunswick, Bertie and Onslow counties.

To help facilitate the departure of thousands of people in South Carolina, lanes are being reversed on Interstate 26 to allow people to head only west, away from the shoreline and massive storm.

On Monday night, Donald Trump's administration granted a federal disaster declaration for North Carolina and South Carolina.

"This is one of the worst storms to hit the East Coast in many years," President Donald Trump warned on Twitter. "Please be prepared, be careful and be SAFE!"

In addition to evacuations, more than half of schools are closed and the reopening date is not set. Universities and colleges in Carolina have cancelled classes.

The local authorities have urged residents to prepare now, calling the storm “a monster,” and warned that people should not count on being able to ride it out.

Hurricane Florence isn't the only storm threatening lives, hurricane Isaac and Helene are also heading towards the US.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 12, 2018 11:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).