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Cyclone Matthew pounds North Carolina as US deaths climb to 14

Posted at 3:52 PM, Oct 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-09 10:20:28-04

(CNN) — Matthew whipped North Carolina on Sunday morning, causing “record-breaking” flooding and blowing powerful winds after killing 14 people in three states.

Hurricane Matthew killed at least seven people in North Carolina, four in Florida and three in Georgia, authorities said.

After making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in South Carolina on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said Matthew was no longer a hurricane early Sunday and is now considered a post-tropical cyclone.

Despite its new title, it’s still packing maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) — the same as a Category 1 hurricane, forecasters said.

Matthew’s only change is in its “core structure,” hence the change to a cyclone, CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar said. However, she warned, the change in name does not mean it’s any less dangerous.

“It’s still packing the same hurricane-force winds and potential for flooding and is still as deadly as a hurricane,” she said.

Post-tropical cyclone Matthew is expected to pound eastern North Carolina with torrential rains until later Sunday.