By Associated Press - Friday, October 7, 2016

SOUTHPORT, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on Hurricane Matthew’s impact in North Carolina (all times local):

5:10 p.m.

Gov. Pat McCrory is warning North Carolina residents about potentially “life-threatening” rain and standing water in more places because he says the forecast track for Hurricane Matthew has moved more toward the state.

McCrory said at a news briefing Friday that Wilmington and other coastal areas could see 15 inches of rain or more by Sunday afternoon. He says the state could see the worst flooding since what Hurricane Floyd caused in 1999.

The governor says he’s also worried about northeastern North Carolina, where 5 to 10 inches of rain could fall after flooding last month caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Julia.

McCrory says several counties now have opened emergency shelters, while many beaches have asked for voluntary evacuations. Emergency management and National Guard forces and equipment are in staging areas and Duke Energy line workers are gathering in Raleigh to prepare for electric outages in the Carolinas.

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4 p.m.

Southport residents were preparing for Matthew with little fear, but prudent precaution.

Owners pulled fishing boats and kayaks away from the piers at the mouth of the Cape Fear River on Friday. Restaurants and coffee shops closed early, anticipating customers would avoid venturing out. Schools closed early. The state ferry dock was closed as well.

Jim and Judy Clary’s 150-plus-year-old Brunswick Inn had no one in the three guest rooms other than the three puppies they promised to take for the weekend from a nearby no-kill animal shelter.

Judy Clary said she told people they needed to be on their way from the inn.

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3:45 p.m.

President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency in North Carolina as Hurricane Matthew wreaks havoc on the East Coast.

The declaration puts the Homeland Security Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of disaster relief efforts in the state, including providing equipment and needed resources.

Gov. Pat McCrory says he’s about worried that the storm could lead to heavier rains than previously estimated at or near the coast, and cause power outages from high winds.

Obama has already declared states of emergency in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, the other states in Matthew’s path.

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3:10 p.m.

The city of Asheville may not have to endure the winds associated with Hurricane Matthew, but it’s definitely experiencing a windfall.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports (https://avlne.ws/2d9cnra) that with the hurricane menacing the Carolinas’ coast, thousands of coastal residents fled their homes and vacation spots and decided to go to Asheville to enjoy the area’s attractions, and as a result, boost the local economy.

Shane Harpham, a pediatric dentist from Bluffton, South Carolina, said his wife and two young children came up on Wednesday night. He said while it wasn’t easy finding a room they found a motel and booked the last room it had.

Early October is already a popular time for travelers to visit Asheville, but adding hundreds or even thousands of evacuees has put a crunch on hotel rooms. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said earlier in the week that hotels were pretty much booked in South Carolina, and she suggested folks try Asheville or Charlotte.

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2:05 p.m.

The approach of Hurricane Matthew is closing some of the major tourist attractions in the Carolinas.

The Carowinds them park on the South Carolina-North Carolina state line said it would not hold its SCarowinds nighttime Halloween event Friday night to ensure the safety of guests and staff. The theme park said any tickets purchased for Friday’s event will be honored for any other Scarowinds event through October 23.

Park officials said they were monitoring the weather and make a decision later on whether to open the park for regular hours on Saturday.

In Columbia, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden said it would be closed Saturday because of the weather. The park planned to reopen on Sunday.

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2 p.m.

Officials in Carolina Beach have issued a mandatory evacuation order for all visitors and non-residents.

The town announced the decision on its web page on Friday.

In addition, the town also issued a voluntary evacuation order for residents living in low-lying areas.

The statement says tropical storm- or hurricane-force winds are expected Saturday morning. Officials said when winds reach a sustained 45 mph, the bridge will be closed and a curfew will be imposed.

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12:40 p.m.

Visitors in Brunswick County moved pretty quickly to obey orders to get out of town before Hurricane Matthew approached the southeastern part of North Carolina.

The county government, the city of Southport and all six beach towns had declared states of emergency by Thursday and issued voluntary evacuation notices. Oak Island, Caswell Beach and Bald Head Island have imposed mandatory evacuations, ordering visitors to leave.

Officials rely on rental companies and hotels to inform visitors about evacuations. Condominiums emptied fast and one vacationer grumbled about having to leave.

Philip Aschliman was on vacation with his wife and child from Franklin and said Thursday he didn’t see any reason to leave. That was before updated forecasts said Matthew would come closer to the North Carolina shore on Saturday.

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12:30 p.m.

Wilmington-area officials are bracing for flash flooding and possible widespread power outages as projections for Hurricane Matthew have it creeping closer to the southeastern North Carolina coast.

New Hanover County Emergency Management Director Warren Lee said Friday that new forecasts have increased concerns about high winds beginning Saturday afternoon and rain totals approaching 1 foot. Downed trees and minor structural damage to buildings are possible.

Lee said at a media briefing that voluntary evacuations have been issued for local beaches and low-lying areas prone to flooding, but they could become mandatory if projections worsen. He strongly urged people to stay out of the ocean.

Lee says two emergency shelters would be open late Friday afternoon. County and Wilmington city offices were to close at 3 p.m.

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11:40 a.m.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning from Cocoa Beach, Florida, to Surf City, North Carolina.

In addition, a hurricane watch has been posted for north of Surf City to Cape Lookout. Also, a tropical storm warning is in effect from north of Surf City to Duck on the northern Outer Banks, as well as the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.

Forecasters say tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach the tropical storm warning area in North Carolina on Saturday morning. The forecast also calls for a storm surge of from 2 to 4 feet from Cape Fear to Salvo, including portions of the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds.

Also, forecasters say there is a danger of life-threatening inundation during the next 36 hours along the Florida northeast coast, the Georgia coast, the South Carolina coast, and the North Carolina coast from Sebastian Inlet, Florida, to Cape Fear. There is also the possibility of life-threatening inundation during the next 48 hours from north of Cape Fear to Salvo.

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9:55 a.m.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory says he’s about worried about current projections of Hurricane Matthew that show the storm could lead to heavier rains than previously estimated at or near the coast and power outages from high winds.

McCrory said Friday morning rainfall totals could exceed a foot in parts of southeastern North Carolina, with the most activity starting Friday night through Sunday morning. He said in a storm media briefing that wind gusts could push above 65 mph, and that citizens should be prepared to remain without electricity for some time because utilities may have to focus first on other affected regions.

He says the North Carolina National Guard and emergency equipment are being assembled, including high-water vehicles and swift-water rescue teams. The state is also providing a helicopter rescue team and other resources to South Carolina. McCrory says a mobile hospital unit is ready to go to Florida when it’s safe to do so.

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9:10 a.m.

Soldiers are Fort Bragg are prepared to deploy on short notice if they are called to assist with those who suffer from damage or other problems because of Hurricane Matthew.

The Fayetteville Observer reported (https://bit.ly/2cZfhMb ) that several units were weighing trucks, checking inventory and practicing loading aircraft on Wednesday.

The training came as Hurricane Matthew was moving toward the United States.

The cargo transport company and the movement control team would go ahead of soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, which is part of the Global Response Force that is ready to respond around the world on short notice.

Battalion commander Lt. Col. Michael Ludwick says his unit is just awaiting orders if it is needed.

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