US Military Gearing Up For Hurricane Florence

Hurricane Florence continues to gain strength as she moves across the Atlantic.

While residents along the southeastern coast, specifically the Carolinas, are preparing for the biggest potential impact.

The US military is taking precautions as well.

The Navy ordered all ships at the world's largest base to sea on Monday to avoid the battering of Hurricane Florence.

The commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command directed nearly 30 ships to steam away from the Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia, home to Naval Station Norfolk.

Florence is forecast to make landfall in North Carolina late Thursday as a major hurricane and subject the region to high winds and heavy rain.

"Our ships can better weather storms of this magnitude when they are underway," Adm. Christopher Grady said in a statement.

Ships undergoing maintenance and unable to leave port can add storm lines, drop anchor and disconnect power lines, according to the Navy. 

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman, Col. Robert Manning said, "Northern Command is spending an advanced team to the emergency operations center in Raleigh, North Carolina Monday to conduct an assessment and coordinate with federal and state partners."

Manning adds hundreds of troops are ready to deploy at a moments notice, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency is setting up operations at Fort AP Hill, in Virginia.

Along the Carolina coasts, marina workers are moving boats to higher ground, and are focused on protecting buildings.
  
"The building we're going to board some windows up. We are going to put everything else away and then we are going to put some concrete blocks in front of the doors just so rushing water and wind can't blow the doors back in," said Matthew Littleton with Casper's Marina.
 
In Charleston, South Carolina, people filled sandbags and stocked up on food.

While in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, many are getting ready for life off the grid, buying up generators, flashlights, water and lots of plywood to cover up windows.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency as well as mandatory evacuation orders along the eastern coastline.

The governor warned residents that Florence was gaining strength and that the winds would likely be higher than other recent hurricanes.

"North Carolina is taking Hurricane Florence seriously and you should too," said Governor Cooper.

Hurricane Florence has now intensified to category 4,  with 130 mph winds.

However, the National Hurricane Center predicts it could rise to 150 mph winds just before landfall sometime Thursday night.