US Gov't Agency Warns Hurricane Matthew May Affect East Coasts Energy Facilities

US Energy Information Administration announced that hurricane Matthew, which is the strongest storm to hit northeast Florida in 118 years, is expected to damage energy infrastructure along the East Coast during the upcoming weekend.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Hurricane Matthew, which is the strongest storm to hit northeast Florida in 118 years, is expected to damage energy infrastructure along the East Coast during the upcoming weekend, the US Energy Information Administration announced in a press release on Friday.

"Hurricane Matthew is expected to make landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm Friday morning. The storm is on track to move north along the East Coast as far as North Carolina this weekend, potentially bringing torrential rainfall, storm surges, and flooding to the region… Because of the storm's proximity to the coast, high winds, rainfall, and flooding will potentially affect electricity infrastructure such as power transmission and distribution lines," the press release said.

Governors in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia have declared states of emergency in advance of the storm's arrival, the Energy Information Administration added.

Hurricane Matthew is the most damaging storm currently hitting the Caribbean in decades. According to a Florida-based power utility, 30,000 people have already been left without power in Florida as Matthew is approaching. The latest reports reveal that Matthew is about 40 miles away of the Florida coast.