- Hurricane Matthew continued to thunder along the east coast on Friday night and Saturday morning
- Storm was downgraded to Category 1 but hurricane-force winds remain a threat this weekend
- Tides in Charleston rose as high as 9 feet and rose past the historic Battery seawall
- By 11pm the hurricane was 35 miles south of Cape Lookout in North Carolina with winds of 75mph
- An hour later it had begun to move away from the coastline, travelling east at a pace of 13mph
- National Weather Service issued flash flooding warnings South and North Carolina on Saturday afternoon
- It is the most powerful hurricane to threaten the Atlantic Seaboard in more than a decade
- At least 14 people died as a result of the aggressive storm which also killed almost 900 in Haiti
Hurricane Matthew struck North Carolina on Saturday afternoon, the final place it is expected to hit after ravaging the southeast Atlantic coast for days.
By 11pm the storm, which has been downgraded to a category 1, was 35 miles south of Cape Lookout, having come within 15 miles of the shoreline earlier in the day.
Despite its slowing pace and weakening strength, life-threatening flash floods and thrashing rain were seen across the North Carolina coast with more than 1ft of rain dumped in the past 24 hours.
Three people died trying to escape the floods in their cars while one drowned after being swept into a creek. It brings the US death toll to 14, with another 10 people already dead in Florida and Georgia.
More than 20 cars were stranded on Interstate 95 between two flooded areas.
Miraculously, none were killed in South Carolina where 9ft waves crashed over seawalls including the famous Battery seawall in Charleston on Saturday morning.
Some 20 inches of rain was dumped on the state before it made landfall at around 11am.
Matthew has already killed almost 900 people in Haiti, left nearly two million people without power and destroyed homes and businesses in four states.
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The streets of Wilmington, North Carolina, were entirely flooded on Saturday afternoon as Hurricane Matthew continued to pound the east coast with torrential rain
In Wrightsville Beach, a resident dislodged timber from an overflowing seawall as waves continued to grow in height
Military vehicles descended on the town of Wagram, North Carolina, to help lessen the devastation and rescue anyone stranded in floods on Saturday
In Wilmington, North Carolina, drivers found their vans almost floating in flood water as they approached Cape Fear River
The historic downtown of Charleston found itself under 10 inches of water on Saturday morning in Hurricane Matthew's wake
Residents wade into the flooded promenade by the Battery of Charleston on Saturday morning
Streets and intersections in the city, which is made up of handsome pre-Civil War homes, church steeples and romantic carriage rides, were flooded
The ordinarily picturesque streets of Charleston, South Carolina, were swamped by the time Matthew moved up the coast on Saturday afternoon
One Charleston resident captured incredible footage of the flood waters streaming through the city's streets
The landmark defensive seawall, could not hold back the waves as the tide rushed in and submerged the promenade of the popular tourist destination
The geography of Charleston (pictured on Saturday afternoon) made the low-lying port city especially vulnerable to Matthew
The total cost of the damage could be upwards of $6billion. Matthew is expected to tail off over the Atlantic before it reaches the Virginia state border.
By 11pm, the Matthew was 35 miles south of Cape Lookout in North Carolina. A hurricane warning remained in place for Myrtle Beach and Wilmington while tornado and severe flash flooding warnings were in place elsewhere.
The state's Governor Pat McCroy made an emotional plea to residents to stay inside and out of harm's way after the deaths of three people in the state.
'I'm extremely concerned since this hurricane has been downgraded that people will let up their guard.
'We don't want any more loss of life in North Carolina because of this very, very serious storm. Because conditions are going to get worse.'
A fourth death was confirmed on Saturday night. The victim, who has not been identified, is believed to have driven past a barricade and drowned after being swept into a creek.
Ten to 15 inches of rainfall are due to fall in the state, prompting grave fears of flash flooding in land as well as by the coast.
'We have 10 to 15 inches of rain expected, 10 to 15 inches of rain- that's a lot- in southeastern North Carolina.
'And if you are in a low-lying area and you know you're in a low-lying area that's flooded with a lot less rain than that, it's time to get out of there.
'We still have serious concerns on the beaches, but most of our concerns right now are inland where we're gonna have surges on the major rivers coming into North Carolina which can cause some serious, serious damage.
'It's not just about the beaches; it's inland where we can have loss of life,' McRoy added.
Charleston was one of the worst-hit cities in South Carolina, with waves rushing over its seawall and through its historic streets on Saturday morning.
'Looking at the city set up of Charleston itself, where multiple rivers meander around the city, life-threatening flooding is unavoidable there,' said The Weather Network meteorologist Erin Wenckstern.
A flash flood emergency, reserved only for the most life-threatening situations, was issued by the National Weather Service for areas in South and North Carolina, including their respective cities of Myrtle Beach and Raleigh.
Radar data suggests that some locations are experiencing a rate of three to four inches of rain per hour and led to flooding, dam breaks and crashing trees, according to the NWS.
The NWS warned that flash flooding could result in road washouts and dam failures across the Carolinas and that wind gusts in excess of 50 mph would continue to result in falling and crashing trees.
Rainfall totals were at 17.5 inches in Savannah, Georgia by Saturday afternoon and reached almost 15 inches in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Residents took to Twitter to share incredible footage and pictures of the flooding as rivers of water streamed through the streets.
The Battery of Charleston, a landmark defensive seawall, could not hold back the waves as the tide rushed in and submerged the promenade of the popular tourist destination.
Streets and intersections in the city, which is made up of handsome pre-Civil War homes, church steeples and romantic carriage rides, were flooded.
Leigh Webber watched the torrential rains from the porch of her home in the city's historic district.
'I feel badly for a lot of the businesses downtown that have been closed since Wednesday,' she said.
'I noticed a lot of hotels were completely closed. I know some weddings were canceled and it was a huge financial loss for a lot of people.'
Flood waters almost completely submerge a fire hydrant on East Battery Street as Charleston is hit with heavy rainfall
Local Charleston tour guide Larry Gerald live streams himself on social media as he checks for damage at the city market
One man walks by a partially submerged car on the flooded promenade by The Battery in Charleston
Cherry Grove Pier in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was pummeled with waves as Matthew moved north up the coast on Saturday
A large chunk of this building in Myrtle Beach came tumbling down as Hurricane Matthew ravaged the resort city
A half submerged car is left on the side of Highway 501 in West Perry during Hurricane Matthew in Myrtle Beach
A boat in the marina at Edisto Beach, South Carolina, sat toppled on Saturday afternoon
Matthew shifted north of Charleston to Myrtle Beach, where up to 7 inches of rain have been predicted.
As of 12pm on Saturday there were 942 Myrtle Beach residents in shelters. Fifty-five roads were also closed or impassable and sporadic power outages were reported throughout the county.
South Carolina's golf-and-tennis resort Hilton Head Island also took a blow as the eye of the storm passed 20 miles to the east. At least one gust of 87 mph was recorded at Hilton Head.
By Saturday afternoon it appeared the homes and resorts along the Atlantic Ocean on the island had survived the storm.
Hundreds of trees and limbs littered the beachside road, and a few feet of water washed up from the beach, but the area appears to be mostly unscathed.
At Coligny Beach Park, it was evident the storm surge made it well past the 50 yards of sand that are typically dry even at high tide.
Some of the seawater was left behind and a few residents were cleaning out storm drains to get rid of it.
The two roads onto the island of 40,000 people were blocked by fallen trees, and many roads were under water. Signs were blown over, and power was out across the island.
Parts of the Carolinas are under a tornado watch until 4pm. Multiple houses have already been damaged after a reported tornado hit North Myrtle Beach on Saturday morning.
'Now is the time we ask for prayer,' South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said as she finished an update on storm preparations and bowed her head.
Haley warned residents on Saturday that Matthew was still a danger as it moved northeast along the coast and headed towards North Carolina, where it was expected to land by Saturday night.
In Savannah, Georgia, police assist a woman as she surveys her flooded car after the storm passed through the state
The streets of Savannah, one of the worst hit cities in Georgia, were flooded on Saturday afternoon
A member of the Pooler Fire Department uses a boat to move residents of homes in Pooler, Georgia on Saturday
An unidentified woman is rescued from her vehicle on flooded President Street in Savannah, Georgia on Saturday
Michael and Tori Munton make their way through the flooded streets of downtown historic Saint Marys, Georgia
Patio furniture sits in a swimming pool to prevent it from flying away after Hurricane Matthew passed through St. Simons
A U.S. Coast Guard plane flies over boarded up shops after Hurricane Matthew passed through St. Simons Island
The National Hurricane Center said some parts of the state could record up to seven feet of storm surge and McCroy asked residents who lived both along the shores and in low-lying inland areas to brace for the conditions.
It has been estimated that Matthew, the most powerful hurricane to threaten the Atlantic Seaboard in more than a decade, will end up damaging roughly 1.5million residential and commercial properties in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Property data firm CoreLogic projects that the total damage will cost between $4billion and $6billion in insured losses, anticipating 90 percent of insurance claims will be attributed to storm surges and wind damage from the storm.
Matthew killed six people in Florida, including an elderly St. Lucie County couple who died from carbon monoxide fumes while running a generator in their garage.
Two women were also killed in separate events when trees fell on a home and a camper.
The other two victims could not be reached by emergency services because of the storm after suffering medical conditions in their homes.
Four people died in Georgia from falling trees while two in North Carolina lost their loves when their car was flooded. Another person died from hydroplaning.
Matthew is expected to weaken further to a tropical storm by Saturday night and people in Florida were already beginning to survey Friday's damage.
It has been estimated that Matthew will end up damaging roughly 1.5million residential and commercial properties in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Pictured here is a home in Savannah
A tree and power lines blown over by Hurricane Matthew lay across a road on St. Simons Island, Georgia on Saturday
Frances Long examines an elm tree that fell in front of her family's home in Savannah on Saturday
A Savannah firefighter looks at a fallen tree in Telfair Square after Hurricane Matthew passed through in Savannah
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal echoed her sentiments on Saturday as he pleaded with residents who had evacuated their homes not to return until they were told.
'I understand people are anxious to get back home. When they woke up this morning and saw the sun shining and winds subsiding, the great temptation would be to think that everything is safe and we can return to our homes.
'That that is not the case. We still are in a dangerous situation. I would say to those who have had to evacuate, please be patient a little while longer - we want you to have a safe return.
'There are consequences in the aftermath of hurricanes such as Matthew. It is those consequences in the aftermath that we have to be sure we are adequately protecting your safety (from).
Nearly 7,000 people in South Carolina are currently in shelters and about 485,000 people have lost power.
North Carolina Governor Pat McCroy warned residents that Matthew could bring the worst flooding to the state since Hurricane Floyd hit in 1999.
In Jacksonville, Florida, water flooded the streets on Saturday. Jacksonville was one of the final places in Florida to be struck by the storm
Felled trees were commonplace across Jacksonville as the mass clean-up job commenced on Saturday
In St Augustine, huge swathes of the beach were torn out by the storm to expose beachfront homes' foundations
Beach structures were shattered by the storm in St Augustine. Debris was left scattered across the sand on Saturday
The roof of a gas station in Jacksonville was toppled by winds as fast as 105mph
A beachfront home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, was ravaged by the storm, the wall of its living room ripped clean off
The beachfront in St Augustine, Florida, was littered with debris on Saturday as the clean up mission commenced
Governor Rick Scott surveyed the vast damage in St Augustine, Florida, with other officials on Saturday
More than 20 people were stranded at the Casablanco Inn (pictured) on Friday during the worst of the storm
This aeria photo shows a partially torn off roof in St Augustine, Florida. one of the hardest-hit areas, on Saturday afternoon
In this aerial photo, residents of St. Augustine wait along side the road to get clearance to return to their homes on Saturday
A sailboat is shown washed into a marsh by winds from Hurricane Matthew in St Augustine
Workers clean debris caused by Hurricane Matthew at a resort in Daytona Beach, Florida on Saturday
Crashed to earth: The roof of a nearby business lies on a street after the eye of Matthew passed by Daytona Beach, Florida
The roof of an adjacent condominium building lies on top of the roof of La Bella Inn in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew
Welcome home: A Seminole mobile home park resident climbs over a uprooted tree in Fort Pierce, Florida after Matthew blew past the area; her home appears to be largely intact
Residents began flocking to gas stations across Florida on Friday as Governor Rick Scott revealed the state had just five days worth of fuel if no ports were open in the coming days. Above, motorists fill up in Jacksonville, one of the worst hit areas
President Barack Obama speaks alongside FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate (L) and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson (R) about Hurricane Matthew following the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office
The only and last Category Four hurricane to make landfall anywhere in northeast Florida or the Georgia coast was in 1898.
Hurricane Matthew was so severe that Walt Disney world shut for the fourth time in its 45-year history, as did Universal Studios and Seaworld.
President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for Florida and South Carolina, freeing up federal money and personnel to protect lives and property earlier in the week.
Obama spoke separately Saturday to Govs. Nathan Deal of Georgia, Nikki Haley of South Carolina, Pat McCrory of North Carolina and Rick Scott of Florida.
The White House says Obama reiterated his commitment to provide federal to help the states respond to the storm.
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