1st LD Writethru: Obama declares state of emergency ahead of deadly hurricane

U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday declared a state of emergency in Florida as the southern state was embracing itself for Hurricane Matthew, one of the most powerful storms to hit the region in almost a decade.

As a result of the Florida emergency declaration, the Department of Homeland Security and federal Emergency Management Agency are authorized to coordinate all disaster relief efforts.

Meanwhile, local authorities in Florida on Thursday issued a mandatory evacuation order for some 1.5 million coastal residents in preparation for Hurricane Matthew, one of the most powerful storms to hit the region in a decade.

"This storm will kill you," said Florida Governor Rick Scott at a press conference. "Time is running out. We don't have much time left."

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, Hurricane Matthew remained a Category 3 hurricane as of Thursday morning, with maximum sustained winds as strong as 125 mph.

There is still possibility that it would evolve into Category 4 storm in approaching the east coast of Florida, said the center.

Hurricane Matthew has left at least 108 people dead in Haiti, according to the Haitian Interior Minister Francois Anick Joseph. Endit