Hurricane Matthew has remained offshore, for the most part, as it has advanced up the eastern coast of Florida preventing a “worst-case” scenario in terms of damage. While the storm surge has been significant, only 1 person has died in the U.S. so far while as many as 1 million have lost power, according to ABC.
The storm surge and loss of power has been significant:
New video of wave hitting my house!@WESH #HurricaneMatthew http://pic.twitter.com/t9lEQocCr8
— Grant Lynch (@grantlynch1234) October 7, 2016
WATCH: #HurricaneMatthew‘s impact causes power lines to explode in Merritt Island, FL https://t.co/DXypabFPKJ http://pic.twitter.com/5XGLNpSoZE
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 7, 2016
As Governor Rick Scott pointed out this morning, Florida was spared a direct hit from Hurricane Matthew with “no reports of significant damage” but warned residents to remain cautious.
The governor said on “GMA,” “We’ve been blessed that we haven’t had a direct hit,” however “with the hurricane force winds we’re going to see a lot of storm surge.”
Scott told reporters later this morning so far there is “no reports of significant damage.”
Scott said, even though the storm has passed half the state, “this is not over” and the storm “still has time to make a direct hit.”
Scott had urged coastal residents to move to safe ground Thursday, warning, “This storm will kill you.”
Per Reuters, Hurricane Matthew’s trail of destruction in Haiti stunned those emerging from the aftermath on Friday, with the number of dead soaring to 842, tens of thousands homeless and outbreaks of cholera already claiming more lives. 61,500 people were in shelters, the agency said.
At this point, Hurricane Matthew has been downgraded to a Cat 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph. The eye of the storm is currently just east of Jacksonville, Florida. The latest track from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) still has the storm moving along the east coast through the weekend before turning east and heading back out to sea on Sunday. The storm is expected to weaken throughout the weekend and be downgraded to a tropical storm by Sunday morning. The storm surge in Florida reached 11 feet in certain areas though the current NHC forecast calls for a 4-6 foot surge in South Carolina.
Here is some additional footage of the damage experienced so far in Florida:
INCREDIBLE VIDEO: Watch as these waves crash into this Palm Coast house! https://t.co/R4Ty2ytBEg #HurricaneMatthew http://pic.twitter.com/hJ0xUC2MzP
— WESH 2 News (@WESH) October 7, 2016
Significant storm surge occurring in #OrmondBeach #HurricaneMatthew #florida #stormsurge http://pic.twitter.com/5qhxhDBiKN
— Shaw (@ShawSsimpsont) October 7, 2016
Downtown St. Augustine #HurricaneMatthewhttp://pic.twitter.com/8n3N6zP9Tl
— Jeff Goodell (@jeffgoodell) October 7, 2016
JAX beach is underwater! This is a picture from a JAX beach condo – Costa Verano, 10th floor. #HurricaneMatthewhttp://pic.twitter.com/vwT0VJz1sw
— Bryson Morrison (@morrison_bryson) October 7, 2016
BREAKING:dangerous storm surge impacting barrier island at Daytona Beach, FL debris in the water @breakingweather@ScienceByMariahttp://pic.twitter.com/3jNiKudtsA
— Reed Timmer (@reedtimmerTVN) October 7, 2016
via http://ift.tt/2dkRp6p Tyler Durden