Thousands Flee Gulf Hurricane

MIAMI — Thousands of Gulf Coast residents from Florida to Louisiana fled to higher ground today as Hurricane Florence approached with winds of more than 80 m.p.h.

Forecasters warned coastal residents to prepare for 100-m.p.h. wind, 9-foot tides and up to 10 inches of rain. By this afternoon, 50 m.p.h. gusts were already buffeting the southeast Louisiana coast. Hurricane warnings were posted from Pensacola, Fla., to Cameron, La. The center of the 250-mile-wide storm was expected to be on land by tonight. Florence, which had been stalled in the Gulf of Mexico, suddenly strengthened into a hurricane this morning, the National Hurricane Center reported.