“Hazel stands as a benchmark storm in North Carolina’s history,” Jay Barnes, who's written books on the hurricane histories of North Carolina and Florida, told the Associated Press. Nineteen people died in North Carolina and an estimated 15,000 buildings were destroyed. Jerry Helms, 86, was on his honeymoon on a barrier island off the North Carolina coast when Hazel hit on the evening of Oct. 14, 1954. “Florence is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane through Thursday night,” the National Hurricane Center said. National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham warned that Florence was forecast to linger over the Carolinas once it reaches shore.

Source: Fox News September 11, 2018 14:37 UTC