Updated: Sept. 20, 2018 at 8:12 AM

Hurricane Florence strikes Carolinas (108 images)

The Carolina coast saw major storm surges, strong winds and fierce rain early Friday as Hurricane Florence arrived on land at Category 1 strength.

Shane Fernando points to the area where the tree hit his house in Wilmington, N.C. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI

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A tree lays in the street at Market and 20th in Wilmington, N.C. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI

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Antonio Griffin, 43, hauls freshly cut logs from a fallen tree following Hurricane Florence on Friday in Wilmington, N.C. Florence, a category 1 storm hit the coast between South and North Carolina. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI

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Griffin (L) and Dalton Jordan, 15, (R) clean up debris. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI

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