The outer edges of Hurricane Florence have begun to batter the south east US coast, bringing high winds, heavy rain and dangerous storm surges which are forecast to cause “catastrophic flooding”.

Over 280,000 people are already without power and coastal streets have been inundated with water hours before the 400-mile wide hurricane makes landfall.

Authorities have warned the storm has the potential to “kill a lot of people”, and more than 1.7 million people living in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia were ordered to evacuate.

Petrol stations reported fuel shortages as people fled the affected states, while thousands are sheltering in emergency facilities.

Some areas of North Carolina are already under a foot of water as sea water has surged inland.

As wind speeds on land rise as the storm nears, the winds in the centre of the storm itself have slowed to around 90mph, lowering it from a Category 4 storm to a Category 1.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said: "The worst of the storm is not yet here but these are early warnings of the days to come," he said. "Surviving this storm will be a test of endurance, teamwork, common sense and patience."

Mr Cooper requested additional federal disaster assistance in anticipation of what his office called "historic major damage" across the state.

The forward movement of the storm increased slightly to 6mph, as of 2am local time (7am BST) and hurricane-force winds extended 90 miles from its centre, with tropical-storm-force winds up to 195 miles.

A buoy off the North Carolina coast recorded waves nearly 30 feet (9 metres) high as Florence churned towards the shore.

Forecasters have warned conditions would deteriorate as the storm makes landfall on Friday morning.

Surging waves could cover almost all areas of the Carolina coast under as much as 11 feet (3.4 metres) of sea water, and as it slowly moves inland, days of downpours could unload more than 3 feet (0.9 metres) of rain, causing severe freshwater flooding.

The hurricane is regarded as another major test for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which dealt with Hurricane Harvey last year which equalled 2005’s Hurricane Katrina as the costliest cyclone on record.

The agency was criticised as being slow and unprepared for Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico last year.

Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Show all 20 1 /20 Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Barmen protect their business from the storm and the opportunists Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Many supplies have run out as Hurricane Florence approaches in Nichols, South Carolina AP Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Hurricane Florence seen from space on September 12 AP Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Students of East Carolina University's Coastal Storms class use anemometers to measure wind speeds at Union Point Park in New Bern, North Carolina AP Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Rescue workers are on the scene in James City, North Carolina Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Sixteen hours before Florence even hits land, the Neuse River bursts its banks and floods New Bern, North Carolina Alamy Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Volunteer rescue workers help three children out of their flooded home in James City, North Carolina Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast A boardwalk is damaged in Atlantic Beach on North Carolina's coast Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Union Point Park in New Bern is closed Reuters Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast A child sits in Conway High School, which is being used as an evacuation centre in South Carolina AFP/Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Locals voice their disapproval of the storm in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Volunteer rescue workers help children from their flooded home in James City Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast A man floats down his street in a metal tub after the Neuse River burst its banks in New Bern, North Carolina Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Electric lines are affected in Wilmington, North Carolina Alamy Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Floods in New Bern, North Carolina as Florence approaches Alamy Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Waves crash over a pier on Atlantic Beach in North Carolina as Hurricane Florence approaches AP Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Hurricane Florence is seen from the International Space Station as it churns in the Atlantic Ocean towards the east coast of the US NASA/Reuters Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast This NOAA/RAMMB satellite image taken on September 10, 2018, shows Hurricane Florence off the US' east coast in the Atantic Ocean AFP/Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast In this NOAA satellite handout image, Hurricane Florence is shown travelling west and gaining strength in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of Bermuda on September 10, 2018 Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Firefighters rescue people by boat in New Bern, North Carolina Getty

As Florence drew near, Donald Trump tweeted: “FEMA, First Responders and Law Enforcement are supplied and ready. We are with you!”

But he also disputed the official conclusion nearly 3,000 people died after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, claiming - without providing any evidence in support - the figure was a Democratic plot to make him look bad.