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'It's in God's Hands': Hurricane Florence Weakens, but Huge Storm Still Packs a Deadly Wallop

CBN

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Hurricane Florence began hammering the Carolinas Thursday as more than 10 million people braced for the worst. 

On one level, prayers have been answered as the storm's wind speeds decreased from catastrophic Category 4 winds of 140 mph down to Category 2 winds of 105 mph on Thursday. But it's still very dangerous.

WeatherBELL's Joe Bastardi tells CBN News the storm's wind field has expanded, meaning a roughly 200-mile stretch of the coast will experience hurricane-force winds. "There's no backing down on the magnitude of this storm in relation to where it's going to hit," Bastardi said. 

And there's still the problem of deadly storm surge.

"A life-threatening storm surge is now highly likely along portions of the coastlines of South Carolina and North Carolina," the National Hurricane Center explains. "Life-threatening, catastrophic flash flooding and prolonged significant river flooding are likely over portions of the Carolinas and the southern and central Appalachians."

The hurricane still maintains a massive scope, and experts say, don't let the category downgrade fool you. The huge storm could unleash a 13-foot wall of water in some areas – with a one-two punch of up to 40 inches of rain.

"It's a big powerful Atlantic hurricane coming right into North Carolina initially and then we have to see whether it wants to turn back to the southwest and hug the coast all the way down to Charleston before finally making its way inland," Bastardi said. 


 
At Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade moved out as the military base becomes a staging site for FEMA.
 
And in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, hospitals are racing to evacuate patients. "We're trying to get everybody out and as such we're shutting the hospital down," said  Dr. John Pangia of Grand Strand Health. 
 
President Trump issued this warning: "Get out of its way. Don't play games with it. It's a big one." 

And at Wayne Christian School in Goldsboro, NC near Fayetteville, students worship as the storm nears, singing, "Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm." A Christian family posted the video on Facebook:

Along the North and South Carolina coasts, many have evacuated from their homes with emotions running high. 

"Afraid for the surge. This is a beautiful beach here I can't imagine how it's going to be when we come back," homeowner Sheryl Andrews said. "It's in God's hands. We don't know why things happen, but He's in control."

At Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina where landfall is expected, the wind has picked up and so have the waves. Still, some opted to stay. "We are all boarded up," said homeowner Paul Johnson. "The plywood on the house, water for at least a week. We are going to ride it out, fingers crossed."

Meanwhile, churches and faith-based organizations have been gathering supplies to help care for those who will be displaced after the massive storm leaves its mark. "We have volunteers on standby – some to feed people, others with chainsaws, etc.," explained Chad Austin, with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Others turned to social media and held live prayer sessions asking God to cause Hurricane Florence to lose strength. Pastor Mike Pitman of Vertical Church says more than 1,600 people joined in with his online prayer event.
 

 

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