Mandatory evacuations along the east coast of North and South Carolina continue ahead of Hurricane Florence ahead of it's expected impact.
Many people flying out of the storm's path from up and down the Carolina coast came into Detroit Metro Airport.
Folks say they didn’t want to evacuate but knew they had to. Watching the path of Hurricane Florence getting stronger and closer to land, they knew it wouldn't be safe to stay.
"Everything was boarded up, and there’s was no cars anywhere," Karen Oliver says after arriving in Detroit from Myrtle Beach.
Mandatory evacuations are now in place for North and South Carolina.
Nicole Devincendi evacuated from a beachfront rental home in Charleston, South Carolina, and said the area was like a ghost town.
"The whole beach was evacuated and pretty empty, but all the stores were closed up and boarded up," Devincendi said.
Millions of people are in the direct path of Hurricane Florence as it barrels towards the east coast.
"It’s a lot of rain and, once the storm's passed, there’s going to be a lot of flooding," Oliver said.
Many people say they knew they had to evacuate and couldn’t wait this one out. Its size was just too big and powerful.
"I hope the flooding’s not too bad and that we are able to make it back to our home and hopefully return to North Carolina," said Jeremy Green after arriving in Detroit
Their decision to leave wasn’t easy, but they knew it was a decision between life and death.
"We have family here, so that’s kind of the best way, especially with all the kids, it was the safest decision," said Eric Kelly, who evacuated from Charleston, South Carolina with her children.
Hurricane Florence is expected to make landfall Friday afternoon.
