Hurricane Matthew's South Carolina Potential Impact 'Getting Worse'; Curfews Announced

As Hurricane Matthew battered Florida's Eastern coast Friday morning, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said its potential impact on the Palmetto State is "getting worse."

Evacuations have been ordered for the state's coastal communities, but Haley said only about 310,000 of the 500,000 people ordered to evacuate have done so.

"There is nothing safe about what's getting ready to happen," Haley said Friday morning. "This is the last time you will hear my voice when I am asking you to evacuate. We need everybody to consider evacuating and really take this very seriously."

Curfews will go into effect Friday night across most of the Charleston region:

• Charleston and Berkeley counties from midnight until 6 a.m.
• Dorchester from 6 p.m. until 8 a.m.
• Williamsburg from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m.
• Beaufort 7 p.m. until 7 a.m.

Matthew was a Category 3 hurricane Friday with 120 mph winds, but the center of the storm remained largely off Florida's coast, possibly sparing the state billions of dollars worth of damage even as it battered the coast with heavy rain and wind.

South Carolina may not be so lucky.

The storm could give the state a direct hit when it reaches the area Saturday morning, according to the latest NOAA forecasts. Regardless, Matthew will bring strong winds, heavy flooding and massive storm surges to the state.

Haley compared the impact to 2015's historic flooding that left 19 people dead.

"We're looking at major storm surges, we're looking at major winds, we're looking at wet grounds, which could be flood-like like last year," Haley said. "And you know when you have that you have a lot of fallen trees."

As of Friday afternoon, there were 69 shelters open, housing nearly 4,000 evacuees, according to South Carolina Emergency Management.

Hurricane Matthew had reportedly claimed its first fatality Friday morning and knocked out power to nearly 600,000 as the violent storm pummeled Florida’s east coast Friday morning. More tragedy is possible as the storm sets a path charging up the Florida coastline toward Georgia and into South Carolina.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott warned residents along the state's northeast coast that Matthew could deliver more torrential rains to the region.

"Matthew is expected to produce 8-12 inches of rain and even 15 inches in some areas," Scott tweeted. "This may result in flooding and flash flooding. Stay inside."

Image via NOAA