Most of the fatalities from Florence, which made landfall Friday as a category 1 hurricane, have occurred in North Carolina, where officials confirmed eight victims. They included three who died "due to flash flooding and swift water on roadways.

A woman and her baby were among the first casualties when a tree fell on their house, contributing to a death toll that us media said had reached 13 -- 10 in north Carolina and three in south Carolina.

The national hurricane center downgraded Florence to a tropical depression on Sunday morning, adding that "flash flooding and major river flooding will continue over a significant portion of the Carolinas."

The NHC said as of 5:00 am on Sunday, maximum sustained winds had weakened to near 35 miles that is 56 kilometers per hour.

On Saturday, some residents tried to return home, driving through flooded highways and armed with chainsaws to clear fallen pine trees that covered the road.