2 million urged to flee as Hurricane Matthew roars towards US

Nearly two million people have been urged to evacuate their homes as Hurricane Matthew roars towards Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas and along the east coast, packing power the US has not seen in more than a decade.

Matthew was a dangerous and life-threatening Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120mph as it passed through the Bahamas and it was expected to be very near Florida's Atlantic coast by Thursday evening local time.