As Hurricane Matthew swept higher and more inland than previously anticipated, it’s punishing effects were felt along most of North Carolina’s coast. 

So far, three people are dead and countless more injured as hundreds of water rescues continue throughout our state’s eastern most counties.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory told the press this afternoon that one person died in Sampson County after their vehicle hydroplaned in heavy rain. Two others were killed in Bladen County when their vehicle became submerged.

Market and Water Street flooded in downtown Wilmington. From the https://t.co/kbGKXaM1WS Skycam. pic.twitter.com/OHs5JH3cGS

— Monica Laliberte (@WRALMonica) October 8, 2016

“This is a very, very serious and deadly storm,” McCrory remarked.

“I cannot stress how serious an issue this hurricane could cause to North Carolina, not only in damaging structures but also risking human life,” Hurricane Matthew “did downgrade in the wind, but it upgraded into the volume of water,” McCrory commented. “And water can kill, along with continued high winds. … We still have serious concerns on the beaches. But most of our concerns right now are inland, where we’re going to have surges on the major rivers coming into North Carolina, which could cause some serious, serious damage.”

McRory noted that “it’s storms like these that have caused the most damage and loss of life. This (storm) has the potential for North Carolina to see the worst flooding since Hurricane Floyd.”

State officials now say emergency responders have conducted at least 42 water rescues from cars and homes in Fayetteville, according to The News & Observer.

As the hurricane inundates an already saturated state, authorities continue to urge residents to remain vigilant and to stay on top of warnings.

According to North Carolina Public Works, 54 shelters are open, with more than 777 North Carolinians now sheltered.

Over the past 24 hours, Hurricane Matthew has straightened out its trajectory, causing President Obama to issue a national emergency for our state. The storm is now expected to continue to hug the Carolina coast up through much of North Carolina, then swing back out to sea after passing by Wilmington.

FEMA just released this statement:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the State of North Carolina to supplement state, tribal, and local response efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Matthew beginning on October 4, 2016, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts that have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Alamance, Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Chatham, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Martin, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Sampson, Scotland, Stokes, Surry, Tyrrell, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wilson, and Yadkin.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to provide emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program at 75 percent federal funding. Elizabeth Turner has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further evaluation.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory also expanded our state of emergency to include all 100 counties in the Tar Heel State (the initial declaration included 66 counties in eastern and central North Carolina).

Several major attractions are now being shut down ahead of Matthew. Officials at Carowinds said it would not be holding its SCarowinds nighttime Halloween event due to the storm. NASCAR’s Bank of America 500 race in Concord will still run tomorrow afternoon and evening, but race organizers are closely monitoring the storm’s progress to see if the event will have to be canceled.

The US National Hurricane Center is recommending that North Carolina residents have their disaster emergency kits stocked and readily accessible in case of extended flash flooding or downed power lines.

We will be updating this article as we receive new information.