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DEADLY Hurricane Matthew is expected to make landfall in Florida within hours - as it emerged the storm killed nearly 500 in the Caribbean.

Matthew is stalking the state's coast after being downgraded to a 120mph category three hurricane.

It has already forced the first closure of Disney World in 11 years as a state of emergency was declared ahead of its arrival in Florida.

Follow The Sun's live coverage of Hurricane Matthew for all the latest updates, pictures and videos

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Foreboding storm clouds gather behind the Cinderella castle at Disney World near OrlandoCredit: Twitter
The hurricane forced the first closure of the theme park in 11 years
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The hurricane forced the first closure of the theme park in 11 yearsCredit: Getty Images
Floridians continued to board up their homes as Hurricane Matthew stalked the coast of the state in the early hours of Friday
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Floridians continued to board up their homes as Hurricane Matthew stalked the coast of the state in the early hours of FridayCredit: Getty Images
The storm's true power is finally coming to light as images of the devastation caused to Haiti emerge
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The storm's true power is finally coming to light as images of the devastation caused to Haiti emergeCredit: Reuters
More than 300 people are believed to have been killed on the impoverished Caribbean island by Matthew
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More than 300 people are believed to have been killed on the impoverished Caribbean island by MatthewCredit: Reuters
Some towns reported that 80 per cent of their buildings had been reduced to rubble by the winds
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Some towns reported that 80 per cent of their buildings had been reduced to rubble by the windsCredit: Reuters

And last night two million Floridians were told to flee their homes in the face of the oncoming winds.

Those who refused were told to give terrified emergency services their next-of-kin's details.

Florida Governor Rick Scott warned: "Time is up. You have to evacuate now if you are in an evacuation zone."

More than 200,000 were left without power as the storm moved its way up the coast 20-miles out at sea.

Weather forecasters predicted the storm could bring dangerous storms surges as it continues into Georgia and South South Carolina over the weekend.

The Bahamas were badly hit by winds before the storm moved towards the east coast of Florida on Friday
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The Bahamas were badly hit by winds before the storm moved towards the east coast of Florida on FridayCredit: Reuters
US officials handed out forms asking for next-of-kin details to those who refused to evacuate in the face of the storm
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US officials handed out forms asking for next-of-kin details to those who refused to evacuate in the face of the stormCredit: Twitter/NBCnews
Storm clouds make their way over Miami as Florida braces itself for the worst storm to hit it in a decade
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Storm clouds make their way over Miami as Florida braces itself for the worst storm to hit it in a decadeCredit: Riyaz Jamani
Sunbathers lie on the sand in Miami despite the ominous clouds gathering in the distance
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Sunbathers lie on the sand in Miami despite the ominous clouds gathering in the distanceCredit: Riyaz Jamani
Residents have been warned that the storm is likely to kill people who ignore evacuation orders
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Residents have been warned that the storm is likely to kill people who ignore evacuation ordersCredit: Twitter / @MCGPublicSafety

A true picture of the devastation wrecked on the Caribbean became increasingly clear overnight.

More than 500 were killed in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Bahamas.

And the figure is expected to increase with some towns in impoverished Haiti reporting that 80 per cent of their buildings have been destroyed.

Fifty people were reported dead in the town of Roche-a-Bateau alone.

Governor Scott has also told residents "there are no excuses, you need to leave” after details emerged of the damage wreaked on Haiti.

He said: "If you're reluctant to evacuate, just think of all the people this storm has already killed. You and your family could be among these numbers if you don't take this seriously.

Commuters make their way through heavy rain in Jacksonville, Florida
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Commuters make their way through heavy rain in Jacksonville, Florida

The first outer bands of rain are seen passing over Orlando, Florida
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The first outer bands of rain are seen passing over Orlando, FloridaCredit: AP:Associated Press
Waves whipped up by the storm pound the Pompano Beach fishing pier
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Waves whipped up by the storm pound the Pompano Beach fishing pierCredit: Getty Images
Palm trees are battered by the gale-force winds
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Palm trees are battered by the gale-force windsCredit: Splash News
A lone taxi heads towards the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
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A lone taxi heads towards the Walt Disney World Resort in FloridaCredit: Getty Images
Members of the National Guard ready themselves for "catastrophic" Hurricane Matthew
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Members of the National Guard ready themselves for "catastrophic" Hurricane MatthewCredit: Reuters

"This is going to kill people. Do not surf. Do not go on the beach. This will kill you. We don't know exactly where this storm's going. Don't trust this track."

The storm's 125mph winds are bearing down on the state after wreaking havoc in Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

And tens of thousands of Brits could be caught up in the chaos with 1.4million visiting the state every year for attractions such as Disney World and Universal Studios.

However, officials at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld say they have all shut down until the storm passes.

Florida's governor has warned the storm is heading for a "direct hit" on the state
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Florida's governor has warned the storm is heading for a "direct hit" on the stateCredit: Reuters
Members of the National Guard prepare in South Carolina
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Members of the National Guard prepare in South CarolinaCredit: Reuters
Floridians were warned that the state faced its biggest-ever evacuation ahead of Hurricane Matthew making landfall
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Floridians were warned that the state faced its biggest-ever evacuation ahead of Hurricane Matthew making landfallCredit: Rex Features
The giant storm has been upgraded to category four as it moves across the Caribbean
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The giant storm has been upgraded to category four as it moves across the CaribbeanCredit: Getty Images
The devastating storm is pictured here from aboard the International Space Station
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The devastating storm is pictured here from aboard the International Space StationCredit: NASA

Disney officials said theme parks, water parks, Disney Springs, the miniature golf course and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex would close at 5 p.m.

Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal Citywalk would close at 5 p.m. and remain closed on Friday.

And SeaWorld announced on its website that the park would close at 2 p.m. and remain closed on Friday.

It comes as President Barack Obama declared an emergency in the state of Florida and ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local response efforts.

Obama's action authorises the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate efforts to alleviate the suffering caused by the hurricane.

Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency and urged residents to take precautions against the high winds
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Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency and urged residents to take precautions against the high windsCredit: AP:Associated Press
The storm resembled a skull in incredible satellite images released by NASA
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The storm resembled a skull in incredible satellite images released by NASACredit: NASA
Jason Brock (left) and Kevin Hunter put up hurricane shutters in front of a business
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Jason Brock (left) and Kevin Hunter put up hurricane shutters in front of a businessCredit: Getty Images
Danny Askins and Brenden Kavana (right) put up hurricane shutters as they prepare the Sandwiches Sea restaurant for the impending storm
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Danny Askins and Brenden Kavana (right) put up hurricane shutters as they prepare the Sandwiches Sea restaurant for the impending stormCredit: Getty Images
Maintenance workers at Mangos Tropical Cafe on Ocean Drive attach plywood on the entrance
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Maintenance workers at Mangos Tropical Cafe on Ocean Drive attach plywood on the entranceCredit: Getty Images
The plywood is hoped to protect glass doors and windows from the killer hurricane
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The plywood is hoped to protect glass doors and windows from the killer hurricaneCredit: Getty Images

Governor Scott warned residents on the coast to get out of the way of the impending winds.

He said: "When you look at this storm as it goes along the East Coast, we’re going to have to prepare every county, so it could be the biggest evacuation ever.

"Every county is focused on it though. We’ve been working on it even before today."

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Despite the storm being downgraded from a category five to three, before moving back up to category four, it has still proved fatal, killing at least 264 people in the Caribbean.

Many of those are believed to have taken place on Haiti, where severe damage has been reported.

The storm is currently passing over the Bahamas and is expected to hit Florida later tonight before moving on to Georgia and the Carolinas.

Forecasters predict it could be the biggest disaster to hit the country since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans ten years ago.

A man rides his bike through the strong winds as the state prepares for the hurricane
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A man rides his bike through the strong winds as the state prepares for the hurricaneCredit: Reuters
Trees billow in the gale-force winds currently hitting Miami Beach, Florida
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Trees billow in the gale-force winds currently hitting Miami Beach, FloridaCredit: Splash News
A woman and her daughter take pictures at Neptune Beach, where violent sea swells show the off-shore effect of the storm
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A woman and her daughter take pictures at Neptune Beach, where violent sea swells show the off-shore effect of the stormCredit: Getty Images
A local woman takes pictures on the beach while trying to stay standing
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A local woman takes pictures on the beach while trying to stay standingCredit: Getty Images
Many continued to stockpile goods ahead of the storm making landfall on Thursday evening
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Many continued to stockpile goods ahead of the storm making landfall on Thursday eveningCredit: Vantage News
Others prepared their homes for the storm, which some forecasters are predicting will be the biggest to hit the US since Hurricane Katrina more than ten years ago
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Others prepared their homes for the storm, which some forecasters are predicting will be the biggest to hit the US since Hurricane Katrina more than ten years agoCredit: Rex Features
It has already devastated areas of the Caribbean. Here, local in Haiti assess the damage of the storm on the island
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It has already devastated areas of the Caribbean. Here, local in Haiti assess the damage of the storm on the islandCredit: Rex Features
Cubans too were badly hit by Matthew before it moved onto the Bahamas this morning
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Cubans too were badly hit by Matthew before it moved onto the Bahamas this morningCredit: Barcroft Media

More than 1,200 people were killed after the winds destroyed levies protecting the Big Easy, causing devastating flooding.

Yesterday, panicked Floridians emptied the supermarkets shelves of essentials like bottled water and fuel.

The panic was worsened when the National Hurricane Centre said parts of Florida and George could remain "uninhabitable for weeks".

So far only two counties in Florida have been slapped with compulsory evacuation orders.

The roof of a home in the Bahamas is ripped off by the storm which killed at least 108 in the Caribbean
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The roof of a home in the Bahamas is ripped off by the storm which killed at least 264 in the CaribbeanCredit: Arnold Ageeb via Story

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