Live updates: White House approves North Carolina emergency declaration as Ian weakens

What happened: Recovery efforts continued across Florida and the Carolinas as the massive storm Ian left millions without power throughout the Southeast.

• The NHC said Friday evening that the storm was presenting a "danger of life-threatening storm surge" along the Carolina coasts, with flash flooding and threatening high winds.
• Heavy rain and potential flash flooding could hit North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia overnight into Saturday morning, the National Weather Service said.
• "Major-to-record river flooding" was expected to continue in central Florida areas into next week, per the NHC.

State of play: Close to 3,000 federal responders were assisting with recovery efforts Friday, with about 1,600 in Florida alone, according to Federal Emergency Management Administration assistant administrator Anne Bink.

• She said residents in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas should continue to monitor forecasts and warnings from local officials about safety even as the storm slows.
• "Just because the skies are clear does not mean it's safe," she said at a press briefing Friday.
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press briefing Friday evening that state and local law enforcement officials would be monitoring areas for potential looting.
• Orlando city officials encouraged residents to restrict water usage in their homes.

Details: Ian made landfall again Friday, in South Carolina as a Category 1 storm, while Florida continued to reel from its impact.

• The former Category 1 hurricane transformed into a non-tropical system as it moved inland, where it remained a serious threat to communities in South Carolina and the Southeast.
• The hurricane struck the coast near Georgetown, S.C. with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, the National Hurricane Center said, bringing a "life-threatening" storm surge of 4 to 7 feet.

What they're saying: Brian Henry, mayor of Pawley’s Island in South Carolina, told CNN that the hurricane brought a storm surge "probably beyond what most people anticipated."

• “Most of us did not believe we would see the storm surge at 7 plus feet,” Henry told CNN. “It's beginning to recede but we have a huge amount of water on the roadways and across the island.”

Threat level: The storm has brought significant coastal flooding, inland flash flooding and damaging, hurricane-force winds.

• More than 374,000 customers were without power across the Carolinas as of Friday afternoon.
• Ian's wind field is more comparable to a winter storm than a typical hurricane, expanding the potential for power outages well inland.

Context: Such storms can cause more coastal damage today than they were capable of just a few decades ago, due to sea level rise from human-caused climate change.

• Sea level rise gives surge a higher floor from which to launch, allowing water to push further inland.

South Carolina

• South Carolina was expected to bear the brunt of a resurgent Ian.

• Ian's center had been projected to move across eastern South Carolina and central North Carolina Friday night and on Saturday.
• President Biden declared an emergency for South Carolina and ordered the federal government to assist local response efforts.
• The governors of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia declared states of emergency earlier this week.

North Carolina

• The storm's northward shift over time means that the core of the strongest winds will likely travel inland and affect communities like Florence and Fayetteville, with power outages a possibility this afternoon and evening.

Georgia

• Ian isn't expected to make landfall in Georgia, but parts of the state will still face tropical storm-force winds and dangerous life-threatening storm sturge, the NHC said in an update.
• A tropical storm warning is in effect starting at the Altamaha Sound in Georgia to the Savannah River, which marks the state's border with South Carolina.

Virginia

• Southern Virginia could be hit by heavy rains with a chance of tornadoes through early Saturday.
• The storm is expected to dissipate over western North Carolina or Virginia late Saturday, the NHC said.

Florida

• The devastation Ian left in southwest Florida is becoming more evident.
• At least nine people have died after the storm pummeled the state with record storm surge flooding in some areas and strong winds, AP reports.
• More than 1.6 million customers were without power on Friday morning as the state began search and rescue and recovery efforts.

Go deeper: Florida death toll rises from Hurricane Ian

• Florida power outages from Hurricane Ian continue for 1.9 million-plus
• Ian confirms the new normal for hurricanes
• Hurricane prep: Can't afford to, can't afford not to

Editor's note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates throughout the day.