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Million Plus Ordered To Evacuate Ahead Of Hurricane Florence

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COLUMBIA, SC (CBSMiami) - About a million and a half people living along the coast have been ordered to evacuate in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia ahead of Hurricane Florence.

Moving in at a strength that may reach Category 5, Florence is poised to potentially become one of the most catastrophic hurricanes to hit the eastern seaboard in decades.

"We got the hurricane and the surge, which may be as high as ten feet, maybe more, maybe less, we don't know, coming at us from the ocean. Then after that, we're going to have water coming down flooding us," said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.

In addition to stocking up on food and other needed supplies, residents inland are also filling sandbags and preparing for the storm which may stall out and dump days of rain over the entire region.

"I'm taping up the windows before putting boards on them, making sure that the top seals and sides on the windows are nice and caulked so I don't have to worry about water dripping in the top," Ben Dehaven as he boarded up his home.

Airlines, including American and Southwest, have started letting passengers change travel plans that take them into the hurricane's possible path.

Even the military isn't taking any chances. The naval fleet at the Norfolk Naval Base is scrambling around 30 ships out to sea out of the storm's path.

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