Anna Mehler Paperny/Reuters
Hurricane Florence began dumping rain on the North Carolina coast Thursday morning, with the storm's center expected to hit the East Coast by the evening.
Evacuations have been ordered in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, with residents bracing themselves for up to 40 inches of rain and 13 feet of storm surge. The hurricane's winds have slowed to a Category 2 level, but Florence remains deadly as it approaches.
As millions of people in the Carolinas seek shelter before the storm, streets have emptied, store shelves have been cleaned out, and gas stations have run out of fuel. The following photos show residents' preparation efforts before the hurricane's arrival.