US coast evacuated as historic hurricane Matthew bears down

TIL Desk/World/Miami-The National Weather Service is not mincing words about powerful Hurricane Matthew. The agency’s Melbourne, Florida, office warned Thursday night that homes and buildings in central Florida “may be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

“The dire warning is similar to one sent just before Hurricane Katrina plowed into the Gulf Coast in 2005, a Meteorologist said. “Extremely dangerous, life-threatening weather conditions are forecast in the next 12 to 24 hours,” the weather service warned.

Forecasters predict storm surge is some areas could be as high as 11 feet and as many as 15 inches of rain could fall. The effects of the storm will be unlike any hurricane in decades, the weather service said.