Hermine leaves two dead as storm surges to US mid-Atlantic

Former hurricane Hermine surged Saturday off the US East Coast, killing a second victim as it threatened deadly flooding and spoiled beach plans for the summer's last holiday weekend.

The storm's latest fatality occurred when winds estimated between 95 to 110 kilometers per hour blew an 18-wheeler across highway lanes in North Carolina and propelled the cab into the railing of a bridge, killing the unidentified driver, Tyrrell County Sheriff Darryl Liverman told AFP.

The death brings the storm's casulties to two. On friday, a homeless man was killed by a falling tree in Florida.

Hermine, now a post-tropical cyclone, was moving across the Outer Banks of North Carolina in an east-northeasterly direction at approximately 19 kilometers per hour, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

Forecasters expect Hermine to turn to the northeast and decrease its forward speed on Saturday night, pick up strength and then achieve hurricane force again on Sunday.

"It's going to sit offshore and it is going to be a tremendous coastal event with a dangerous storm surge and lots of larger waves probably causing significant beach erosion, for the next few days," said Daniel Brown, senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center.

Hermine left North Carolina with power outages, flooding, downed trees and power lines, while rain and tides brought flooding along Virginia's coast from Virginia Beach to Norfolk.

Forecasters say the storm could dump up to 18 centimeters of rain over parts of Virginia and Maryland through Monday morning.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Friday under the potential threat of damaging high winds, heavy rainfall and a dangerous storm surge and flooding.

"I urge Virginians to limit travel as the severe weather arrives and evacuate if recommended by officials," he said.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency for coastal areas.

Hermine brought bad news for throngs of travelers hoping to enjoy beach time on the three-day Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of the US summer vacation season.

Large waves likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents are expected from the mid-Atlantic states to southern New England, the NHC said.

Hermine is the fourth Atlantic hurricane of 2016. The last hurricane to make landfall in the United States was Arthur in 2014 in North Carolina.