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See How Hurricane Matthew Hit the U.S.

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Trees sway from heavy rain and wind from Hurricane Matthew in front of Exploration Tower in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Oct. 7, 2016.
Trees sway from heavy rain and wind from Hurricane Matthew in front of Exploration Tower in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Oct. 7, 2016.Craig Rubadoux—Florida Today/AP
By TIME Photo

Hurricane Matthew was downgraded to a Category 3 storm before it brushed past Florida’s Atlantic coast Friday, but it still left a trail of destruction and hundreds of thousands of people without power.

The Associated Press reports that more than 476,000 people lost power in the storm, and more than 1.5 million people were told to evacuate ahead of the storm. Matthew left at least 283 people dead in Haiti when it struck the island nation as a Category 4 storm.

Now, forecasters say Matthew will likely travel up the coast of Georgia and South Carolina before heading out to sea, possibly battering Florida a second time in a loop back as a tropical storm.

President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency for Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Surf from the Banana River crashes up on a dock at Sunset Grill in Cocoa Beach, Fla., as Hurricane Matthew hits Florida's east coast, Oct. 7, 2016.
Surf from the Banana River crashes up on a dock at Sunset Grill in Cocoa Beach, Fla., as Hurricane Matthew hits Florida's east coast, Oct. 7, 2016. Red Huber—Orlando Sentinel/AP
Heavy waves caused by Hurricane Matthew pound the boat docks at the Sunset Bar and Grill on Cocoa Beach, Fla., Oct. 7, 2016.
Heavy waves caused by Hurricane Matthew pound the boat docks at the Sunset Bar and Grill on Cocoa Beach, Fla., Oct. 7, 2016.Mark Wilson—Getty Images
People sit on a bus in Savannah, Georgia, to be evacuated to Augusta, some 130 miles (208km) northwest, on Oct. 7, 2016.
People sit on a bus in Savannah, Georgia, to be evacuated to Augusta, some 130 miles (208km) northwest, on Oct. 7, 2016.Nicholas Kamm—AFP/Getty Images
A police car patrols near Atlantic Beach, Fla., on Oct. 7, 2016.
A police car patrols near Atlantic Beach, Fla., on Oct. 7, 2016.Jewel Samad—AFP/Getty Images
Trees sway from heavy rain and wind from Hurricane Matthew in front of Exploration Tower in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Oct. 7, 2016.
Trees sway from heavy rain and wind from Hurricane Matthew in front of Exploration Tower in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Oct. 7, 2016. Craig Rubadoux—Florida Today/AP
People leave Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park, in heavy rain, after it closed in Orlando, Fla., in preparation for the landfall of Hurricane Matthew, on Oct. 6, 2016.
People leave Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park, in heavy rain, after it closed in Orlando, Fla., in preparation for the landfall of Hurricane Matthew, on Oct. 6, 2016. Gregg Newton—AFP/Getty Images
Barack Obama attends a briefing about Hurricane Matthew, at the FEMA headquarters in Washington, Oct. 5, 2016.
Barack Obama attends a briefing about Hurricane Matthew, at the FEMA headquarters in Washington, Oct. 5, 2016. Al Drago—The New York Times/Redux
People seeking food and shelter wait in line at Booker T. Washington High in Miami, an emergency shelter during Hurricane Matthew, Oct. 6, 2016.
People seeking food and shelter wait in line at Booker T. Washington High in Miami, an emergency shelter during Hurricane Matthew, Oct. 6, 2016. Max Reed—The New York Times/Redux
Local residents take shelter at the Pedro Menendez high school in St. Augustine, Fla., on Oct. 6, 2016.
Local residents take shelter at the Pedro Menendez high school in St. Augustine, Fla., on Oct. 6, 2016.Jewel Samad—AFP/Getty Images
Local residents watch waves at the Atlantic Beach in Jacksonville, Fla., on Oct. 6, 2016.
Local residents watch waves at the Atlantic Beach in Jacksonville, Fla., on Oct. 6, 2016.Jewel Samad—AFP/Getty Images

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