antioch-hazmat/KPIX
October 6, 2016 11:19 AM
ANTIOCH (CBS SF) — Crews contained and cleaned up a small amount of spilled radioactive material Thursday that forced the evacuation of several apartments next to a construction site, according to Contra Costa County fire officials.
At about 9 a.m. crews responded to a report that a piece of equipment used by surveyors was run over by a construction vehicle and spilled out a very small amount of radioactive material, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Marshal Robert Marshall said.
“There is zero contamination on the site at this point” and no one was injured or exposed to the material, Marshall said.
The material, cesium and americium, are common in medical and industrial uses and are found in certain types of smoke alarms.
As a precaution, however, about 50 units in roughly eight nearby apartment buildings were evacuated. Residents were allowed back into their homes at about noon, Marshall said.
In addition to the fire crews, the county’s hazardous materials team responded, as did teams from PG&E and the county’s water district.
The construction site is on Tabora Drive, near the intersection of James Donlon and Contra Loma boulevards, which were closed to traffic while the cleanup continued.
Crews inspect the scene near the Walnut Creek BART station where two workers were hit and killed by a train on October 19, 2013. (CBS)
October 5, 2016 12:48 PM
WALNUT CREEK (KCBS) — BART has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a wrongful death suit brought by the family of a contractor who was struck and killed by a BART train in 2013, according to court documents the agency released Tuesday.
Laurence Daniels was measuring a dip in the tracks between the Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill stations alongside BART employee Christopher Sheppard when they were killed.
A trainee was operating the train at the time. The California Public Utilities Commission reports that he saw the two workers standing in the middle of the tracks, applied the emergency brake, and tried to sound the horn, but hit the door control button instead. His supervisor was not in the control cabin at the time, and the CPUC found evidence that the supervisor was sending texts and making phone calls, including one text sent just one minute before the accident.
BART policy at the time allowed the men to work within a certain distance of the tracks and made workers responsible for their own safety, according to an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and two state investigations.
BART has since instated new security measures including new security policies, improved communication, physical safety barriers, and other changes, according to BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost.
“There is nothing more important than safety and the safety of our employees,” she said.
Worker killed in industrial accident in Yukon identified
From Staff Reports Published: October 7, 2016 3:50 PM CDT Updated: October 7, 2016 9:27 PM CDT
YUKON, OK — A worker who died in a Thursday accident involving industrial equipment has been identified.
About 3:45 p.m., Taylor Borth, 23, was unloading materials on property leased by JDC Drilling, near State Highway 66 and Gregory Road, when he was pinned between the bed of a large truck and a trailer, city of Yukon spokeswoman Jenna Roberson said.
Borth died at the scene of his injuries. Roberson said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.
JDC Drilling, LLC is a domestic land-based drilling rig contractor headquartered in Oklahoma City serving operators in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.
JDC Drilling owns and operates a twelve rig fleet, boasting highly skilled and vastly experienced personnel with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in both the engineering and operational aspects of land-based drilling.
JDC Drilling specializes in land-based drilling rig operations in the
Mid-Continent and Permian basin. JDC owns and operates an eleven rig
fleet, operated by experienced personnel with a wealth of knowledge and
expertise in both the engineering and operational aspects of land-based
drilling. Since inception, JDC has drilled without any incidents
resulting in a zero TRIR (Total Recordable Incident Rate). Until of course this poor worker got killed.
Corporate Offices
JDC Drilling Headquarters
3801 S. Bryant Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73115
Phone: (405) 835-2790
Fax: (405) 652-0982
=======
Man dies in industrial accident in Yukon
Oklahoman Published: October 6, 2016 4:42 PM CDT Updated: October 6, 2016 9:33 PM CDT
YUKON, OK
Man dies in industrial accident
A 23-year-old man died Thursday afternoon after he was pinned by industrial equipment.
About 3:45 p.m., firefighters went to State Highway 66 and Gregory Road after receiving a call that a man was pinned between a crane and a trailer, said city of Yukon spokeswoman Jenna Roberson.
The man, who was not identified, died at the scene from his injuries.
Roberson said the accident happened on property owned by JDC Drilling, but the man was not an employee.
Hurricane Matthew Leaves at Least 11 Dead, Destruction in Southeast
by Daniel Arkin and Elisha Fieldstadt
Hurricane Matthew's Slams Into the Carolinas Bringing Destruction Along the Way
Hurricane Matthew continued to whip up the southeastern seaboard Saturday, killing at least 11 people after thrashing Florida and toppling trees and power lines and washing out roads, officials said.
Matthew made landfall Saturday morning south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, after dousing historic cities and slashing power to hundreds of thousands.
The storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane overnight after being blamed for at least five deaths in Florida.
Matthew was also linked to three deaths in Georgia on Saturday and three in North Carolina.
Hundreds of people had already been killed in impoverished Haiti when Matthew carved a long trail of devastation across the Caribbean.
The death toll in Florida was not nearly as dire as feared, but Matthew still had the strength to wreak havoc across the Southeast.
Hurricane Matthew Brings Heavy Rain to Charleston, S.C.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said Saturday that the hurricane killed three people in the state. Two died during a car crash after a vehicle hydroplaned on a wet road in Sampson County, and one person died when their vehicle was submerged in high waters in Bladen County, according to the North Carolina Emergency Operations Center.
Nearly 370,000 customers across the state were without power Saturday evening, according to utility companies.
"We're already starting to see houses being impacted, and the heart of the storm is starting to hit us," North McCrory said at a news conference. He warned of as much as 15 inches of rain and what could be the worst flooding since 1999, when Hurricane Floyd ravaged the state, killing 52 people and causing billions of dollars in damage.
Roadways in Cumberland County were filling up quickly with water, and emergency crews had already made eight water rescues, officials said Saturday afternoon. A county news release warned residents to stay off the roads and shelter in place, and called the situation "critical and life threatening."
FEMA 'actively' ready to respond in SC
Matthew was already slamming the Georgia and South Carolina shorelines with ferocious winds and rain Saturday morning.
The storm made landfall southeast of McClellanville, about 35 miles northeast of Charleston. The historic city was inundated with floodwaters as surrounding areas braced for potential destruction.
Some coastal areas had already been doused with up to 14 inches of rain by Saturday morning, said John Quagliariello, a National Weather Service meteorologist in South Carolina. He said many eastern parts of the state were seeing "extensive" flash flooding.
The storm was headed northeast, where it was expected to bring 5 to 7 foot storm surges on the coast and up to 7 more inches of rain, Quagliariello said.
"It's still a very serious situation," said South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. "We are not out of the woods."
"Most injuries, most fatalities occur after a storm because people attempt to move in too soon. Do not plan on going back home or tomorrow," Haley told the more than 6,600 residents who were in shelters after evacuating their homes.
She said no deaths had been reported yet, but the storm is the worst the state has seen in a quarter of a century.
More than 762,000 customers across the state were without power, Haley said.
Another 250,000 customers were also in the dark in coastal Georgia, according to the AP. 
Andy Jones clears away limbs from a tree blocking a road on St. Simons Island, Georgia, Oct. 8. David Goldman / AP
Richard Plyant, the deputy coroner of Bulloch County, Georgia, said that two people had died there. A 28-year-old man was killed when a tree fell and crushed his vehicle, and another man died when two trees fell on his home, Plyant said. Another man died when a tree fell on his home in Chatham County, according to police.
"If we had a direct landfall, the consequences would have been worse," Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said during a news conference Saturday.
Still, Deal also cautioned residents not to return to their homes until they were told it was safe. "I know many of you are anxious to get home but be cautious and careful," he said, adding that he would ask the federal government for assistance.
Aerial View of Hurricane Matthew's Destruction
President Barack Obama spoke to Deal, Haley, McCrory and Florida Gov. Rick Scott, the White House said Saturday.
The president reiterated his commitment to providing federal aid in those states where he had already declared emergencies, the White House said.
By and large, Matthew spared much of Florida, sidestepping the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas. But Scott said Saturday that about a million people still lost power in his state. 
Portions of State Road A1A in Florida's Flagler County were washed away early Friday by Hurricane Matthew. Kerry Sanders / NBC News
After touring the damage Saturday, Scott said the biggest problems were beach erosion and road destruction. If the storm had made landfall on the coast, he added, the effects would have been far more devastating.
The deepest pain was inflicted on Haiti, where the death toll reportedly soared past 800. NBC News could not immediately confirm that figure.
The first reports trickling in from the remote southwestern peninsula hit hardest by the storm were dire. The United Nations warned that more than a million people were directly affected by Matthew and that some 350,000 people were in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. Tens of thousands of people were left homeless, and the cleanup began.
More than 500 U.S. Marines were headed to Haiti aboard the USS Iwo Jima, which was carrying 800 cases of bottled water and other necessities.
"We have nothing left," Saintful Jean Perpetu, who lives in the storm-ravaged town of Jeremie, told reporters. "Our personal things, important documents like birth certificates — it's all gone. We sleep on streets with our children and nobody came to help us until now. "
The monstrous storm, Perpetu said, "took shirts from our backs."
Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has been beset by disaster for many years. In addition to hurricanes, the island was rocked by a catastrophic earthquake in 2010 that killed more than 220,000 people, left 1.5 million others homeless and caused an estimated $14 billion in damage — a series of misfortunes from which it still has not recovered.
Crews investigate second incident at GVL Poly plant in Hesston
By KSN TV Published: October 7, 2016, 6:16 pm Updated: October 8, 2016, 5:54 pm
GVL Poly
HESSTON, Kansas (KSNW) – For the second time in as many days, emergency crews are responding to an incident at the GVL Poly plant in Hesston.
Harvey County dispatchers confirm to KSN that they responded to a difficulty breathing call at the plant, in the 8500 block of Hesston Road after 5 p.m. Friday. In all, six patients were transported to local hospitals. Five of the patients are believed to have potentially serious injuries and one patient had minor injuries. None are considered life threatening.
The Harvey County Sheriff said there was no chemical spill. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause.
This comes a day after a chemical spill of an isocyanate product at the plant. In the first case, six employees reported medical issues and three were taken to Newton Medical Center in serious condition.
=========== Three employees sickened after chemical spill at the GVL Poly plant in Hesston, Kansas
By Ashley Booker The Hutchinson News abooker@hutchnews.com
Oct 6, 2016
HESSTON, KS – Three people were hospitalized Thursday due to a chemical spill at the GVL Poly plant.
The patients were transported to Newton Medical Center and were in serious condition Thursday afternoon, said Melissa Flavin, a spokeswoman for the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office. All three had been released by midday Friday, Newton Medical Center said.
Three other people, also reporting medical issues due to the spill at the plant in the 8500 block of North Hesston Road, were taken to the hospital by private vehicles and were treated and released.
The plant, evacuated just after 10:20 a.m. Thursday, is undergoing cleanup operations.
First responders found the spill involved an isocyanate product.
It is not known when the plant will reopen.
Sheriff’s deputies, Hesston police and officials with both Harvey County Emergency Management and emergency services in Hesston and Newton responded to the incident.
GVL Poly manufactures aftermarket agriculture equipment and assemblies, including parts for corn headers. The company did not return phone calls.
======
UPDATE: Second round of sickness at GVL Poly not related to chemical spill
By Jacob Albracht |
Updated: Fri 10:27 PM, Oct 07, 2016
HESSTON, Kan. (KWCH) UPDATE:
Plant managers say emergency crews were called to the plant at around 5:15 p.m. today after several employees started to throw up.
The plant was evacuated as a precaution because of Thursday's spill and six people were taken to the hospital for treatment but were later released. Officials say the illness didn't not have anything to do with the spill.
"We want to mitigate any concerns or reasons for feeling uncomfortable of employees coming back to work," said plant manager Paul Gibson.
Officials at the plant say fire crews conducted air tests throughout the rest of the night and didn't find any harmful fumes or substances.
------
For the second time this week, emergency crews are at GVL Poly Plant in Hesston.
Harvey County dispatchers say the plant has been evacuated due to chemical fumes.
Sheriff T. Walton says emergency crews have not found a spill of any kind of chemicals, and the investigation continues. First shift employees worked in the plant without any type of problem.
Dispatchers tell us six patients have been taken to the hospital for treatment. Four are headed to Newton Medical Center and two have been taken to Via Christi St. Francis.
Jacob Albract is headed to the scene. We hope to have more details on this situation.
========
Hesston plant evacuated after chemical spill; 3 hospitalized
Posted: Oct 06, 2016 12:50 PM EST Updated: Oct 06, 2016 10:15 PM EST
written by KAKE News
HESSTON, Kan. (KAKE) -
The Harvey County Sheriff's Office says three people were hospitalized following a chemical spill at a plant in Hesston.
Two of the hospitalized employees have been released from the hospital, while a third remains in the hospital for observation but is doing well said GVL Poly CEO Allan Cronen. Cronen told KAKE News the affects of the spill have been negated and the plant in now back up and running.
The incident was reported Thursday morning at the GVL Poly Plant in the 8500 block of North Hesston Road. Sheriff T. Walton said an employee reported difficulty breathing.
The plant was evacuated at around 10:20 a.m.
Melissa Flavin with the sheriff's office said five gallons an isocyanate product spilled. Six workers were exposed the fumes and suffered breathing problems. Three of them were transported to Newton Regional Medical Center in serious condition. The others were check out and released.
The plant was closed down as the clean up of the spill is being addressed.
Harvey County deputies, Hesston police, and EMS crews responded to the scene. Sedgwick County HAZMAT was assisting.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains on its website about isocyanates:
Isocyanates are a family of highly reactive, low molecular weight chemicals. They are widely used in the manufacture of flexible and rigid foams, fibers, coatings such as paints and varnishes, and elastomers, and are increasingly used in the automobile industry, autobody repair, and building insulation materials.
Trucking Company Involved in Explosion Ordered off the Road
By joan lowy, associated pressWASHINGTON — Oct 7, 2016, 5:30 PM ET
A trucking company that was recently involved in an explosion while hauling automobile air bag inflators was ordered to take its vehicles off the road Friday by federal regulators who said they found a long list of serious safety violations.
Industrial Transit Inc. of LaGrange, Georgia, must immediately halt all operations because the company poses "an imminent hazard to public safety," the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said.
One of the company's trucks was hauling inflators made by Takata Corp. in August when it crashed, caught fire, exploded and destroyed a house near the small Texas border town of Quemado. A woman in the house was killed, four others were injured and several other houses damaged. The truck was speeding while approaching a curve when the crash occurred, the agency said.
The small trucking company recently used drivers without commercial licenses, did not perform required drug and alcohol tests, and didn't follow the requirements of its license to haul hazardous materials, among other violations, the safety administration said in its out-of-service order.
During each of last 10 times the company's trucks were pulled over for a random, roadside inspection, the trucks were ordered to stay off the road or cited for safety violations, the agency said. The safety administration's investigation also found major safety defects with the company's trucks, including out-of-adjustment and contaminated brakes, oil leaks, loose steering system components, inadequately working air-brake components, and an unsecured fire extinguisher.
Takata uses ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion that fills air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate when exposed to prolonged heat and humidity and burn too fast. That can blow apart a metal canister and hurl shrapnel into drivers and passengers. As many as 15 people, including 10 in the U.S., have been killed by exploding Takata inflators, and more than 100 have been hurt.
About 69 million vehicles in the U.S. and about 100 million worldwide with the problem inflators have been recalled.
Industrial Transit officials didn't return a phone call asking comment.
========
FMCSA Declares Georgia-based Trucking Company to be an Imminent Hazard to Public Safety
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has ordered a LaGrange,
Georgia-based trucking company, Industrial Transit, Inc., USDOT No.
814459, to immediately cease all intrastate and interstate operations
after a federal investigation found the company to pose an imminent
hazard to public safety. The carrier was served the federal order on
October 4, 2016.
Industrial Transit operates five commercial trucks and principally
transports automotive parts across the country, including passenger
vehicle air bags and related air bag components – some of which are
federally designated hazardous materials (HM) Class 1.1, 1.3, and 9 products that are volatile and potentially highly explosive.
On August 22, 2016, an Industrial Transit truck traveling in Maverick
County, Texas, and transporting Takata air bag components approached a
curve at an unsafe speed, traveled off the roadway, striking a culvert,
and rolled over. The truck caught fire and the Takata air bag
components being transported in the vehicle exploded, leveling a nearby
house and garage and damaging multiple houses in the area. The occupant
of the leveled house was killed. The Industrial Transit team drivers
and a couple in a nearby car were injured.
A post-crash investigation conducted by FMCSA safety investigators
found the company to be in violation of multiple federal safety statutes
and regulations including:
- Failing to comply with any driver qualification requirements,
including ensuring that its drivers were properly licensed and
physically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV).
Within the last two and a half months, the company allowed two drivers
to operate its vehicles without possessing a valid commercial driver’s
license (CDL);
- Failing to sufficiently implement a random alcohol and drug testing
program for its drivers. In one instance, FMCSA investigators found
that Industrial Transit had allowed a driver who had refused to submit
to a random controlled substances test to continue to operate a
commercial truck hauling explosive HM;
- Failing to ensure that its vehicles were regularly inspected,
maintained, repaired, and met minimum safety standards. During the last
ten vehicle roadside inspections, all of the company’s commercial
vehicles were placed out-of-service or cited for safety violations.
During FMCSA’s investigation, major safety defects discovered included
out-of-adjustment and contaminated brakes, oil leaks, loose steering
system components, inadequately working slack adjusters, and an
unsecured fire extinguisher;
- Failing to properly monitor its drivers to ensure compliance with
maximum hours-of-service requirements prohibiting fatigued operation of
commercial motor vehicles;
- Failing to provide any of its HM employees with function-specific
HM training or in-depth security training. Such training covers the
particular knowledge, skills, and abilities each driver needs to perform
HM transport tasks properly and safely;
- Failing to comply with other related federal safety regulations
involving required HM shipping paper information. Such documentation is
required to be in the possession of the driver and includes the
quantity, weight, and net explosive weight of the HM, identifies the
explosive shipped as a HM product, and includes an emergency response
telephone number and additional information for emergency responders.
Industrial Transit also failed to notify the National Response Center within 12 hours of the crash, and;
- Failing to have HM security or communication plans in place,
therefore not satisfying the conditions for receiving a HM safety
permit.
FMCSA’s investigation further found that Industrial Transit “…does
not have safety management controls in place to ensure drivers are
qualified to operate its [commercial motor vehicles], drivers operate
its CMVs safely, and its CMVs are properly inspected, repaired, and
maintained.” FMCSA’s imminent hazard out-of-service order to Industrial Transit states that the company’s “…complete
and utter lack of compliance with operation of (federal safety
regulations)…substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or
death for its drivers and the motoring public…this risk is heightened
further when Industrial Transit transports [hazardous materials].”
Violating
an imminent hazard out-of-service order may result in a penalty of up
to $25,705, operating without necessary authority may result in a fine
of not less than $10,282, and operating without a USDOT number may
result in a civil penalty of up to $14,502. A violation of this order
may also result in a criminal penalty, including a fine of up to $25,000
and imprisonment not to exceed one year.
FMCSA is also considering civil penalties for the safety violations
discovered during the investigation and may refer this matter for
criminal prosecution.
A copy of the imminent hazard out-of-service order can be viewed at:
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/industrial-transit-inc-imminent-hazard-operations-out-service-order
By Corazon Victorino On 10/07/16 AT 11:30 AM
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 has been making headlines ever since its release in August but not for all the right reasons. The flagship device from Apple’s biggest rival is unfortunately making some noise in the industry due to its non-removable battery that is prone to overheating and even catching fire.
To show just how the Note 7’s battery is pretty risky, a Singaporean battery lab recently subjected the Samsung phablet to a stress test. The result was expected, since batteries do overheat when pushed to the limit. What’s striking here is how quickly the phone burst into flames.
According to PhoneArena, it did not take long for the Note 7 to overheat and eventually catch fire when pressure was applied to it. However, the tech site added that there is sufficient time to dispose of the handset from the time it starts to release smoke and the time it actually gets engulfed in flames.
PhoneArena did not provide the specifics especially the length of time for the Note 7 to overheat and burst into flames, but it did warn readers to not consider buying a Galaxy Note 7 for the time being.
Meanwhile, Daily Mail also covered the same story about the pressure test that was conducted at the Applied Energy Hub battery laboratory in Singapore, but it did manage to get official statement from the head of the laboratory, Jan Geder, who explained what the test and the result of the test really mean.
“Any pouch cell lithium-ion battery on any phone subjected to a heavy load will puncture over time, causing an internal short circuit,” Geder was quoted as saying. “We are certain that the same test applied on any lithium-ion battery in any phone will yield very similar results given the sufficient mechanical pressure applied; not just the Note7.”
Geder also pointed out the difference of the conditions in the pressure test setting compared to the regular conditions users are in when they use their Galaxy Note 7 device. “We emphasize that it is highly unlikely that the conditions of this test can be achieved under regular phone use,” Geder stated.
Though its reassuring to know that the Galaxy Note 7 is not that prone to exploding in real life situations, the U.K. postal service company Royal Mail is not taking chances in handling and delivering Note 7 devices. As per the Sun, the Royal Mail staff is now declining to deliver Note 7 packages ever since it was found out that even the deemed “safe” units of the phablet are still prone to catching fire.
Just this Wednesday, a “safe” Galaxy Note 7 device burst into flames while aboard Southwest Airlines flight 994. The Verge learned at the time that the device was bought by the owner from AT&T on Sept. 21 and it did come with an indicator that its battery was safe and free of the risk of exploding.
Hurricane Matthew's US Death Toll Rises to 9; Nearly 2 Million Without Power
By J.J. GALLAGHER
JULIA JACOBO Oct 8, 2016, 4:37 PM ET
David Goldman/AP PhotoWATCH Hurricane Matthew Batters Florida, Brings Travel Trouble to the Southeast
At least 9 people in two U.S. states have died as a result of Hurricane Matthew, which has also left 1.9 million households and businesses without power across the Southeast region. The death toll increased as the storm moved up the Atlantic Coast, bringing torrential rain, powerful winds, a storm surge and the potential for catastrophic flooding.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said Saturday that the state recorded three storm-related deaths -- one in Samson County due to hydroplaning and two in Bladen County after a vehicle was submerged in flood water.
"This is a very serious and deadly storm," McCrory said at a press conference Saturday afternoon. He urged the public to stay off roads and remain indoors.
Six people also lost their lives in Florida due to the storm, which at one point left 1 million households and businesses without power in the Sunshine State.
The storm touched down in South Carolina, southeast of McClellanville, at 11 a.m. ET as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
It is expected to weaken further to a post-tropical storm by Saturday night, ABC News meteorologists said.
Despite the storm's weakening, the National Hurricane Center warned Saturday morning of "strong winds and dangerous storm surge" along South Carolina's coast as well as "heavy rains and gusty winds spreading inland."
The National Weather Service also posted a new tornado watch for parts of northeast South Carolina and eastern North Carolina until 4 p.m. ET Saturday.
"An isolated tornado or two will be possible today along the coast of North Carolina and northern South Carolina," the National Hurricane Center, a division of the National Weather Service, said in its advisory at 8 a.m. ET. “Although weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, Matthew is expected to remain a hurricane while the center is near the coasts of South Carolina and North Carolina."
ABC NewsThe threat for isolated tornadoes along the southeast U.S. coast continues from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to Wilmington and New Bern, North Carolina, where a tornado watch is in effect until 4 p.m. ET.more +
Tracking Hurricane Matthew
Earlier Saturday, Hurricane Matthew brushed Georgia's coast on its way up the shoreline. As of 2:30 p.m. ET, the hurricane was moving northeast at 12 mph with the eye of the storm right near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A flash flood emergency was issued for Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas, with more than a foot of rain falling in some spots.
"On the forecast track, the center of Matthew will continue to move near or over the coast of South Carolina today, and be near the coast of southern North Carolina by tonight," the National Hurricane Center said Saturday in its 8 a.m. ET advisory.
"While weakening continues ... the storm movement will be picking up speed, significant impacts will continue for about the next 24 hours," ABC News meteorologist Daniel Peck said Saturday. "Our biggest concern is extreme rainfall and flash flooding."
ABC NewsHurricane Matthew made landfall southeast of McClellanville, South Carolina, as a Category 1 storm on Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. The hurricane is expected to weaken further to a post-tropical storm as early as Sunday night.
Dangerous Combination of Winds, Rain and Storm Surge
As of late Saturday afternoon, Matthew's hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 45 miles from the storm's center off the South Carolina coast, while somewhat less strong winds extended outward up to 185 miles. Wind gusts of 76 mph were reported at South Carolina's Folly Beach and 55 mph in Orangeburg.
Storm surges that could cause flooding have a been a concern up and down the coast. The National Weather Service measured a record tide level of more than 12 feet at the mouth of the Savannah River, which borders both South and North Carolina. Forecasters warned that the combination of a dangerous storm surge, the tide and large waves could cause rising waters to move inland from the shoreline to flood normally dry areas near the coast.
The water level could rise above ground as high as 9 feet in some spots from North Carolina south. The National Hurricane Center warned early Saturday of "life-threatening inundation" along the coastline during the next 36 to 48 hours.
On Saturday, Charleston County Emergency Medical Services in South Carolina suspended its service countywide, warning that high-span or exposed bridges are unsafe for public travel due to high winds. A curfew was implemented in Charleston between Saturday 8 p.m. ET through Sunday 8 a.m. ET.
Hurricane Matthew is expected to produce a total of 8 to 12 inches of rain near and east of I-95 in South and North Carolina, with the possibility of up to 15 inches in isolated spots. Forecasters said the rainfall accumulation could result in deadly floods and flash flooding.
Nearly 17 inches of rain were recorded at Hunter U.S. Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia over a 48-hour period, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Over 342,000 homes and businesses were without power in Georgia, 663,000 in South Carolina and 200,000 in North Carolina on Saturday, as officials worked to restore electricity. Floodwaters, downed trees and debris clogged roads in much of Matthew's storm path across three states, rendering I-95 in South Carolina impassible early Saturday.
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said Friday, "Many of these areas have not had this level of flooding since, like, the late 1800s."
Jonathan Drake/ReutersFlood waters submerge the historic city market area as Hurricane Matthew hits Charleston, South Carolina, Oct. 8, 2016.
Millions Brace for Matthew's Wrath
Authorities in Georgia and the Carolinas this week urged coastal residents to head inland as the most powerful Atlantic storm in more than a decade continued on its path along the southeast U.S. coast.
In Georgia, Gov. Nathan Deal has ordered mandatory evacuations east of I-95 along the entire Georgia coast, which is home to popular beach towns like Tybee Island.
"There comes a point where we cannot jeopardize the lives of our first responders any further," Deal said during a news conference Friday.
The governor added that he knows people who evacuated are anxious to return home, but they should not put their lives at risk by going back too soon.
"I don't intend to prosecute anyone for not leaving," Deal said. "I think Mother Nature will take care of them."
As of Friday, 9,000 people are in 30 shelters in Georgia.
Joseph Jarrard, the adjutant general of the Georgia Army National Guard, said an additional 1,000 troops were deployed Friday night, bringing the total number in the Peach State to 2,000.
There have been no reports of major damage or major flooding yet in Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia. But there are reports of fallen trees and downed power lines, officials said at a press conference Saturday morning.
All of Georgia's barrier islands have experienced storm surges that have surpassed records, according to Gov. Deal.
Chris Keane/ReutersSandbags are seen in front of a business ahead of Hurricane Matthew in Georgetown, South Carolina, Oct. 6, 2016.
In South Carolina, Gov. Nikki Haley had ordered about 1.1 million people to move from coastal areas.
"The best thing now is to just hunker down, stay in a safe place," Haley said Friday. "Don’t move, don’t try and move around, make sure you have your cell phones charged.
Haley said the state was preparing for major storm surges, winds, wet grounds, falling trees and power outages. There is "nothing safe about what's getting ready to happen," she said.
As North Carolina braced for intense winds and rains, Gov. Pat McCrory called the storm potentially the worst flooding since Hurricane Floyd in 1999. McCrory said coastal regions could see rainfall totals of 15 inches or more from Friday through Sunday, and storm surge totals could reach 2 to 6 feet.
"What we feared is now happening in North Carolina," McCrory said.
On Saturday, a flash flood emergency was issued for the central North Carolina countries of Hoke, Cumberland and Sampson. The National Weather Service warned the weather there was "truly life-threatening," with flash floods, dam breaks and falling trees.
Relentless heavy rain was expected to continue across the eastern part of the state throughout Saturday, with an increased threat of tornadoes. McCrory said multiple dams have been breached, roads have been forced to close and some rivers could eventually crest within the next few days -- threatening hundreds of structures. Millions of dollars in crops could also be lost due to the storm, the governor said.
A thousand people remained in shelters across the Tar Heel State on Saturday.
Florida Awakens to Devastation
Meanwhile, the storm left a deadly trail of destruction in Florida. Six people in the state have died from Hurricane Matthew, authorities said.
In Jacksonville, officials said at a press conference Saturday morning that one person died in the area but they have not yet confirmed whether it was storm-related. The city's beaches will reopen Saturday at noon as officials continue to assess the damages.
“I’m grateful that the damage wasn’t worse than it is, but there’s a whole lot of work to do," Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said at the news conference Saturday.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott said there are "unbelievable" amounts of beach erosion and fallen trees, but he was thankful the hurricane didn't make landfall. More than 5,900 people were in 70 shelters across the state as of Saturday afternoon, Scott said.
Katie Jeffries/First Coast NewsFlooding was visible at the beach in Jacksonville, Florida, Oct. 7, 2016.
More than 763,000 households and businesses were still without power in Florida as of late Saturday afternoon, the governor said. The Florida Power and Light Company said it expects to have power restored to all customers by end of day Sunday, but "flooding and severe damage" will likely extend outages for some homes and businesses through Monday.
More than 1.5 million Floridians were ordered to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Matthew as Gov. Scott deployed 3,500 National Guard troops to assist in storm preparations, as hurricane warnings covered hundreds of miles of the state's east coast. A major hurricane has not struck the Sunshine State in over a decade.
"I've never seen anything like this before," Scott said on "Good Morning America."
As of Saturday afternoon, more than 500,000 Floridians were in evacuation zones. As the zones are being lifted, the governor said local law enforcement ultimately decides when it is safe for residents to return to their communities and homes. Meanwhile, all toll suspensions remained in effect and will remain suspended until at least Sunday night.
Hundreds Dead in the Caribbean
Hurricane Matthew has also claimed hundreds of lives in the Caribbean as it tore through Haiti and Cuba earlier this week as a Category 4 storm. The hurricane also crossed over the Bahamas on its way to the United States.
In Haiti, at least 271 people were confirmed dead Friday, Haiti's Civil Protection Agency told ABC News today. But Reuters, citing local officials, reports that at least 842 people have been killed as a result of Hurricane Matthew. Haitian authorities are struggling to gain a full picture of the death toll as communications are still down in certain areas.
Jean-Michel Vigreux, the country director in Haiti for the nonprofit group CARE, said in a statement Thursday that the southern part of the country is "now cut off from the rest of the country." He added that the city of Jeremie was in "complete destruction."
Dieu Nalio Chery/AP PhotoResidents work to repair a roof after it was ripped away by Hurricane Matthew in Jeremie, Haiti, Oct. 7, 2016.
Hurricane Matthew Impacts U.S. Travel
The hurricane has caused major transportation disruptions, with more than 5,200 flights canceled between Wednesday and Saturday. The only airport currently closed is Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, which is expected to reopen Sunday at 8 a.m. ET.
Amtrak suspended services in the southeast because of the severe weather.
Officials on the scene say they are currently working to ensure that the fire wouldn’t spread to more properties in the area. 
