2 million Evacuated As Strongest hurricane sets to hit Florida

Hurricane Matthew has strengthened as it nears a “direct hit” with Florida, and is set to be the strongest storm in the United States for 12 years.

The hurricane has pounded the Bahamas after devastating parts of Haiti.

Damage could be “catastrophic”, Florida’s governor said. More than two million people have evacuated.

Matthew, with winds of 125mph (205km/h), is expected to hit southern Florida early on Friday as a Category Four storm, officials say.

At least 108 people have been killed in Haiti and thousands displaced. The storm has forced the presidential election there to be postponed.

Four people were also killed in the neighbouring Dominican Republic.

As of 20:00 GMT, the storm was passing over the far west of the Bahamas, having battered the capital, Nassau. All air and sea traffic has been halted and people urged to move to higher ground because of storm surges.

Hurricane Matthew has been upgraded into a Category Four storm, the second-highest classification.

It is expected to “move very close” to the east coast of the Florida peninsula in the next twelve hours, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

States of emergency have already been declared in four southern states, allowing the National Guard to be deployed. On Thursday afternoon, President Obama declared a state of emergency for Florida, allowing federal emergency teams to be sent.

Matthew could be the first Category Four storm to make landfall in the United States since Charley in August 2004, that caused $14bn (£11bn) in southern states.

“There are no excuses, you need to leave,” Florida Governor Rick Scott warned everyone in evacuation zones.

“If you’re reluctant to evacuate, just think of all the people this storm has already killed. You and your family could be among these numbers if you don’t take this seriously.”

“Everyone in our state must prepare now for a direct hit,” Governor Scott told reporters.

“If Matthew directly impacts Florida, the destruction could be catastrophic and you need to be prepared.”

Some two million people have been advised to evacuate across coastal areas of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. North Carolina could also be affected as the storm moves north.

The NHC warned that coastal waters in parts of Florida could rise by up to 11 feet (3.35 metres) because of a storm surge – when ocean surface water rises as a result of high winds, and is pushed on to coastal areas.

In many areas, cars queued for fuel and residents stocked up on food and hardware supplies to board up their houses, local reports said.

Schools, universities and government offices in some areas are closed. About 90% of flights coming through Miami’s airports were cancelled by mid-morning, airport officials said, with other airports also affected.

In South Carolina, lanes on some highways have been reversed so vehicles can head west away from the storm