There are warnings the worst is still to come from a storm in the US that has already been linked to the deaths of at least 14 people.

Storm Florence has been dumping what has been called "epic" rain as it moves through North and South Carolina.

The volume of rain will cause "catastrophic" flash flooding, the US National Hurricane Center says.

The slow-moving storm is heading west, but on Sunday it is due to turn north towards Ohio.
Florence, which started out as a hurricane, has now weakened to a depression, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Sunday, but flash flooding and river floods will continue over a significant portion of the Carolinas.

"This system is unloading epic amounts of rainfall, in some places measured in feet and not inches," North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said on Saturday.
Authorities in the North Carolina city of Fayetteville ordered residents living near two rivers to evacuate with record flooding expected.

"If you are refusing to leave during this mandatory evacuation, you need to do things like notify your legal next of kin because the loss of life is very, very possible," Mayor Mitch Colvin said.

"The worst is yet to come," he added.

US President Donald Trump has declared a disaster in eight counties in North Carolina - a move that will help free up federal funding for recovery efforts. (BBC)