Hurricane Florence makes landfall, families describe damage

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Screaming winds and pelting rain have turned the idyllic coastlines of North Carolina unrecognizable. When Douglas Kirkorian retired from Fresno to a small town near Wilmington three years ago, this was not the paradise he imagined.

"Some people are boarding up their windows," said Kirkorian.

When Action News first spoke to Kirkorian Wednesday the hurricane hadn't made landfall. He has since been without power for more than 24 hours and described the damage to us over the phone on Friday.

"The winds have been pretty good, but when it surges its gusts. We lost some limbs, a neighbor across the street has lost some off limbs off his tree."

Those winds are responsible for Hurricane Florence's first two deaths. A tree that fell on a Wilmington home killed a mother and child inside. Kirkorian says luckily his neighborhood has been unscathed so far, all he's lost is some of his food.

"You can't really cook anything because we don't have power. Another thing was taking a shower, it had to be with cold water."

250 miles inland in Winston-Salem, the skies are still calm. Families here are still making last-minute grocery and gas station runs.

"I work for a grocery store chain and I have been working extra hours," said Leslie Williams. "It's a madhouse."

Officials have been sharing videos of toppled gas pumps, flooded roads, and stranded motorists near the coastline. They say it's to warn those further West of the danger that's headed their way.