With the major winds and rains of Hurricane Florence beginning their assault on the US east coast, residents in some of the most vulnerable areas along the coasts of the Carolinas are ignoring evacuation orders even as officials warn “this is a powerful storm that can kill”.

“I could be wrong. If I am, I hope God protects us. I hope he protects us either way,” Dennis Parnell, of Hampstead, North Carolina, said.

Mr Parnell, who plans on riding out the storm with his wife Cheri, is a safety consultant and said he recognises the irony of him ignoring evacuation orders. But, he said his faith gives him strength to stay and accept whatever comes from that decision.

“If I’m wrong, I’ll see them on the other side,” he added.

As many as 1.7 million people have been told to evacuate from coastal areas in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, with local power authorities predicting that millions could find themselves without power once Florence makes landfall in the US. Speaking on Thursday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper warned that Florence still poses a grave risk for the state, even though the storm has been downgraded to a less-powerful Category 2 storm and is predicted to curl into South Carolina after initial landfall.

“My message today: Don’t relax, don’t get complacent, this is a powerful storm that can kill,” Mr Cooper said.

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

Mr Cooper’s North Carolina is one of five states – from Georgia and north to Maryland – where an emergency have been declared. It is designation that frees up funding for more nimble responses. President Donald Trump has declared states of emergency in both Carolinas, as well as in Virginia.

“It’s going to be a lot. Even if it tracks south, we’re on the bad side of the storm,” Mr Cooper said.

Florence – which was roughly 100 miles from the coast on Thursday afternoon – is predicted to make landfall in the US with wind speeds of up to 110 mph, with hurricane force winds extending 85 miles from the centre of the storm and tropical storm force winds reaching out as far as 195 miles.

But, in spite of warnings from the National Hurricane Centre (NHS) of “catastrophic flash flooding” from rains as high as 40 inches in some areas – conditions fuelled, in part, by the storm system stalling once it hits the US – some residents are boarding up their windows and staying put, citing protecting their property and their faith in God as reason to do so.

Robert Coleman, a retired truck driver who lives just inland from the barrier island town Surf City, said he is staying put to guard his things and to keep dogs safe.

“I have six dogs and a lot of places don’t accept animals,” Mr Coleman said when asked why he did not plan on evacuating. “Everything I’ve worked for is here. If I leave, I may not be able to get back to it”.

Donald Trump on Hurricane Florence: 'We'll handle it. We're ready'

Florence has attracted a massive response from first responders who have travelled to the area from all over the country in order to help. That includes the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops with helicopters and rescue boats to be used to help stranded people in floodwaters and elsewhere. Other first responders are travelling the area to help with those efforts from other states, and to help state medical operations to help the sick and vulnerable in hospitals and elsewhere.

Meanwhile, shelters have popped up to house thousands of people evacuating from the barrier islands and low-lying areas where evacuation orders have been handed down.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has sent officials to be embedded with local officials along the eastern coast to monitor the situation, and federal officials have repeatedly told governors that federal funding will be made available for recovery efforts after Florence moves north and dies out.

Fema administrator Brock Long, speaking during a news conference, urged residents to leave before it is too late to do so. “Your time is running out”, Mr Long said.

As grey clouds approached from the east and winds began to pick up, Jessie Cox took a glance out towards the sea. Mr Cox of Holly Ridge, North Carolina, said that he and his family have learned from experience that staying at home in an evacuation zone is about as smart of a move as they can make. They have boats he said, and plenty of supplies.

Plus, he noted that things are not necessarily going to be that much better further inland where Hurricane Matthew in 2016 showed that major flooding can pose grave risks. Mr Cox said that his mother once evacuated inland during a major storm, only to be water rescued when her car was stranded on I-95.

For Mr Cox – who works for a cooling and heating company and will eventually be tasked with assessing damage from the storm – flooding on the coast would simply make it too hard to get back home after Florence passes. There is just no ideal place to flee to when a major storm hits where you live, and brings massive storm surges.