Matthew, potentially the first major hurricane to hit the United States head on in more than a decade, triggered mass evacuations along the coast from Florida through Georgia and into South Carolina and North Carolina.

Hurricane Matthew could be the most severe to strike northeast Florida in more than 100 years.

Matthew skirted Florida on Friday with winds of up to 120 miles per hour (195 kph), but did not make landfall.

After Killing 900 people in Haiti, Matthew Lashes out US Florida

The U.S. National Hurricane Center's hurricane warning extended up the Atlantic coast from central Florida through Georgia and South Carolina and into North Carolina.

Matthew smashed through Haiti's western peninsula on Tuesday with 145 mph (233 kph) winds and torrential rain killing more than 900 people.

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