Already, North Carolina Emergency Management has reported more than 600,000 are without power, and six nuclear power plants owned by Duke Energy are bracing for impact. At a press conference attended by CNN, a representative from FEMA said the power plants were not yet a concern for the agency.

Those watching the storm are anxious to know if the flooding could cause a disaster comparable to the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Could an environmental disaster like Fukushima happen in the Carolinas?

“We are not concerned because we realize they are designed to withstand a storm much greater than Florence,” says Cox.

He says plants like those in North Carolina should be able to withstand wind speeds of up to 200