A storm chaser has filmed the destructive power of Hurricane Florence, as he captured a petrol station pump canopy collapsing in the ferocious winds.

The dramatic images were livestreamed on the Tornado Alley Video YouTube channel this afternoon as Category 2 Hurricane Florence begins to batter North Carolina.

The storm chaser was parked in his car near a BP petrol station when the canopy collapsed in front of him.

"There it goes, boom!" he exclaimed as the canopy came down with a mighty crash.

Around 100,000 properties have been reported to have lost power in the massive hurricane.