Hurricane Florence death toll climbs to 16

The death toll from Hurricane Florence has risen to at least 16 after it landed in North Carolina on Friday and brought record rainfall. 

The storm drenched North Carolina with yet more downpours on Sunday, cutting off the city of Wilmington, damaging tens of thousands of homes and threatening worse flooding as rivers fill to bursting point.

North Carolina's Governor Roy Cooper said that more than 900 people were rescued from rising flood waters and 15,000 remained in



shelters in the state. He urged anyone in a flood-prone area to evacuate. 

About 756,000 homes and businesses were without power in North and South Carolina and surrounding states, down from a peak of nearly 1 million.

The White House said President Donald Trump approved making federal funding available in some affected counties. Trump, who plan to visit the region this week offered his condolences to the families and friends of those who died.