Hurricane Matthew making impact on social media

As hundreds of thousands of people began an exodus out of coastal towns in Florida and other southeastern Atlantic states as Hurricane Matthew headed toward them, social media has played a big part capturing the drama.

Matthew, which ripped through Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas, was expected to hit Florida on Thursday night. In the morning, winds had reached 140 mph, and the storm had been upgraded to a Category 4. For comparison, the devastating Hurricane Katrina was a Category 5.

Online, posters to Twitter shared their fears, information, visuals of the hurricane and offered prayers to the affected.
https://twitter.com/PamelaCayne/status/784062201174917121

Cameras on @Space_Station captured new views of Hurricane #Matthew today as the storm moved to the north of Cuba: https://t.co/DXzMigLlm6 pic.twitter.com/OiHty1BRc8

— NASA (@NASA) October 5, 2016

It's just getting stronger. It's almost as if there are mesovorticies within the eyewall winds. Unreal stuff. #Matthew pic.twitter.com/k4MStB8yz7

— Kevin Bente (@KBente95) October 6, 2016

Double yikes for The Bahamas and Florida 🙁 Stay safe my Florida friends #Matthew pic.twitter.com/bT6gjcbN07

— Paola Anez-Kikendall (@PKikendall) October 6, 2016

https://twitter.com/carlquintanilla/status/784051802316701696

Early Thursday the hurricane, which already has killed at least 15 people in several #Caribbean countries, was about 60 miles (95 kilometers) southeast of Nassau, Bahamas, and 255 miles (410 kilometers) from West Palm Beach, Florida. The National Hurricane Center isn't saying that Matthew will make landfall in Florida, but that the center of the storm will get "very near" the Atlantic Coast, possibly as a Category 4 hurricane. #Matthew was packing 125 mph (205 kph) winds as the eye neared the northwest Bahamas, the National Hurricane Center said. #hurricanematthew (📷 @longislandgirlbahamas)

A video posted by CNN (@cnn) on Oct 6, 2016 at 5:40am PDT

Around 1.5 million Floridians are currently under evacuation orders. If you are under evacuation order, please leave NOW.

— Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) October 6, 2016

First strong bands from #Matthew #MiamiBeach #kitesurfer pic.twitter.com/ffvmlpnSpv

— JP (@JPnMiami) October 6, 2016

#Matthew
October 6,2016 11:00AM
Location: 25.1°N 77.8°W
Max sustained: 140 mph
Moving: NW at 14 mph
Min pressure: 940 mb pic.twitter.com/wt2qghhVEm

— IVEGABAJ2 (@IVEGABAJ2) October 6, 2016

Our thoughts are with everyone in #Matthew's path. Please stay safe as it approaches our coast. https://t.co/qbW8j7tJRJ

— Bon's Eye Marketing (@BonsEyeNC) October 6, 2016

Nasty outer band of #Matthew near Fort Lauderdale. Photo via @ErikaNBC6 pic.twitter.com/dRSa9eMsyM

— Eric Blake 🌀 (@EricBlake12) October 6, 2016

Keeping an eye on #Matthew and my Florida family. We still talk about this photo of the 1926 hurricane that hit my grandfather's home. pic.twitter.com/VBJrAS5V8C

— Kristin N Higgins (@knetterstrom) October 6, 2016

Having a bad day? Consider: Ppl are going to lose homes, belongings and even family members. Be thankful. #HurricaneMatthew #Matthew pic.twitter.com/cfBY51XD9d

— John Andrew Lyman (@johnlymantweets) October 6, 2016

About 2 million people from Florida across Georgia to South Carolina were warned to head inland.

After Florida, the hurricane was expected to push its way just off the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina before veering off to sea.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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