RALEIGH -- With Hurricane Dorian less heading to North Carolina’s coast, Gov. Roy Cooper today urged North Carolinians to complete their storm preparations. At the Governor’s request, a federal disaster declaration issued last night will speed federal preparation, response and recovery aid available to the state.

The Governor advised people in coastal and inland communities to be ready for deadly storm surge and inland flooding.

“Today is the day to finish preparing,” said Governor Cooper. “Do not underestimate this dangerous storm. Listen to your local emergency officials and leave now if they have ordered evacuations.”

Hurricane Dorian remains on track to arrive on the coast early Thursday morning with heavy rain. Sustained winds may reach 80 mph east of I-95 and forecasts call for some hurricane-force wind gusts.

Waves up to seven feet above normally dry land and isolated tornadoes are possible across eastern North Carolina Wednesday night through Thursday night. A flash flood watch is in effect in parts of central and all of eastern North Carolina through Friday. Shelters are opening to accommodate evacuees. A large state shelter opened in Durham last night.

Mandatory evacuations of barrier islands began this morning. More than two dozen counties have declared a a states of emergency.

The state medical examiner’s office recorded this as the first storm-related fatality. An 85-year-old Columbus County man died Monday when he fell off a ladder while preparing his house for the storm.

NC 2-1-1 is available to help residents find food, housing, disaster services and health care. The referral hotline is free, confidential and multilingual operators are ready to assist. Help is also available by texting NCDorian to 898211 to talk via text with a 2-1-1 operator.

To help with storm response, nearly 400 North Carolina National Guard soldiers are positioned in armories across the state and water rescue teams deployed to staging areas closer to the coast. The Highway Patrol and Department of Transportation are helping motorists evacuate