President Obama on Wednesday urged Americans living in the path of Hurricane Matthew to obey evacuation orders, saying that the storm could have a “devastating effect” on the southeastern United States.
“This is a serious storm,” Obama told reporters after receiving a briefing on the storm at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Washington.
“I want to make sure that everybody is paying attention to your local officials,” he added. “If there is an evacuation order in your local community, you need to take it seriously.”
The Category 3 storm is expected to hit Florida by Thursday morning, and forecasters believe it may cause damage in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
The president said the storm “is going to be building strength” as it moves up the East Coast.
Obama called on people living in affected areas to take precautions, even if they have not received an evacuation order from local officials.
“We hope for the best but we want to prepare for the worst,” the president said.
The administration is shifting into disaster-relief mode in response to Matthew, which could be one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the mainland in years.
FEMA response teams are on the ground with relief supplies in all four states expected to be hit, coordinating with state and local officials to prepare for the storm.
Obama scrapped a trip to the Sunshine State planned for Wednesday, which included a campaign stop for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, due to the storm.
Instead, he received a briefing on Matthew from FEMA administrator Craig Fugate. Obama expressed confidence in Fugate, stressing that the Florida native has a personal stake in an effective response.