There are scenes of panic in the US the third most populous state prepares to face what could be a once in a generation storm.
More than two million people have evacuated from Florida as Hurricane Matthew swirled towards them with the state’s governor warning, “this storm will kill you”.
The death toll from the hurricane is now 103, with 98 of those deaths coming in Haiti.
Matthew has gathered strength returning to Category 4 strength with the potential to rise to Category 5, the highest level.
No hurricane stronger than a Category 2 has made landfall in the US since Wilma in 2005.
Banks, shops and businesses have closed down in many areas of the state, with American chainstore Walmart announcing it would shut its doors at 3pm local time.
There are further complications that the hurricane may bring with The Atlantic reporting Hurricane Matthew could further complicate efforts to stop the spread of Zika.
Florida remains the only state in the U.S. where Zika has been transmitted locally.
In Georgia, also in the path of the storm the Governor Nathan ordered a mandatory evacuation of his state's entire coast, covering more than a half-million people. The Georgia coast hasn't seen a hurricane evacuation since 1999.
The storm has already left a trail of destruction through Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.
In Haiti, 98 people have lost their lives with the south-western town of Jeremie was "pretty much wiped out from the seaboard all the way to the cathedral" the BBC reports.
One official for aid agency Oxfam told the BBC that more than 10,000 people had been displaced in the south alone.
Donations to support Oxfam’s emergency responses in Haiti can be made online at oxfam.org.au/icf and by calling 1800 034 034.