At least five people were killed after Hurricane Florence crashed ashore on North Carolina's coast Friday morning, ripping apart roofs with extreme winds, threatening massive storm surges and requiring dozens of water rescues.

Hours after Florence's eye made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, northeast of Wilmington, the storm wobbled along the coast with a slow grind. Its lumbering pace propelled fears that flooding would worsen during high tide and force rivers to crest at record levels.

Friday evening the hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm, but the National Weather Service warned that it was expected to produce “catastrophic freshwater flooding” in parts of the Carolinas, and that potentially life-threatening storm surge will continue overnight into Saturday.

Florence was a Category 1 storm when it made landfall but continued to carry maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and crawl along at just 5 mph Friday night. Forecasters warned of a potential storm total rainfall of up to 40 inches of rain in some parts. "This rainfall will produce catastrophic flash flooding and prolonged significant river flooding," the National Hurricane Center said.

More than 788,000 customers were without power in North Carolina as of 10 p.m. Friday, according to emergency management officials. Social media users shared videos of snapped trees and water rushing onto coastal streets like rivers.

NBC News

BDST: 0923 HRS, SEPT 15, 2018
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