Killer storm weakens, but officials warn devastation far from over

A killer storm that left up to 13 people dead weakened to a tropical depression on Sunday, but US authorities warned the devastation it caused - including catastrophic flooding - is far from over.

Most of the fatalities from Florence, which made landfall Friday as a Category 1 hurricane, have occurred in North Carolina, where officials confirmed eight victims. They included three who died "due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways," the Duplin County Sheriff's Office reported.

A woman and her baby were among the first casualties when a tree fell on their house, contributing to a death toll that US media said had reached 13 - 10 in North Carolina and three in South Carolina, according to CNN.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) downgraded Florence to a tropical depression on Sunday morning, adding that "flash flooding and major river flooding will continue over a significant portion of the Carolinas."
"All roads in the state right now are at risk of floods," he said. "As rivers keep rising and rain keeps falling, the flooding will spread. More and more inland counties are issuing mandatory evacuations to get people to safety quickly."
President Donald Trump tweeted late Saturday that "five deaths have been recorded thus far," and expressed sympathy to the victims' families. The White House said Trump would visit hurricane-hit areas next week "once it is determined his travel will not disrupt any rescue or recovery efforts."