A state of emergency was declared in Florida as category 4 Hurricane Matthew approaches the US state, Florida Governor Rick Scott said in a press release, Sputnik International reported.
"Governor Scott also signed Executive Order 16-230 declaring a state of emergency for every Florida county due to the severity and magnitude of Hurricane Matthew," the release stated. "Hurricane Matthew is a life-threatening category four hurricane and we must all take it seriously."
In the release, Scott noted that if Hurricane Matthew directly hits Florida, the damage to the state could be similar to that experienced during Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
The state of emergency ensures all resources will be in place for evacuations, shelters and other necessities, Scott added.
The release said the National Hurricane Center shows Florida could be impacted by the storm as early as Wednesday.