Hurricane Florence, which has since been downgraded to a tropical depression, landed on the Carolinas over the weekend, delivering predicted damage. So far, the storm has killed 23 people as North and South Carolina brace for more rain in the coming days.

There are close to a half-million people without power as of the morning of Sept. 17.

Rain is still falling across the two states, and flooding is so severe that towns, like Wilmington, are cut off, requiring emergency services to airlift food and water into the city.

It is rumored that close to 1,000 people are still in need of rescue. In North Carolina, "over 1,000 search-and-rescue personnel with 36 helicopters and over 200 boats were working in North Carolina, and the Defense Department assigned 13,500 military personnel to help relief efforts." As of Sept. 17, Gov. Roy Cooper stated that 1,600 people and 300 animals had been rescued.

Wilmington residents are also panicking as there is now a fuel shortage.

The area has seen record-breaking rainfall over the weekend. More than 30 inches has already fallen in some places, and more is expected.

Scientists studying Florence have already linked the increase in rainfall to climate change. Warmer water and hotter, more humid air has increased precipitation up to 50 percent more.

Adding to the problems is the fact that flooding can also cause toxic pollutants to be released into waterways — as we saw in the example of Hurricane Harvey.

Torrential downpours have already caused one coal ash landfill to collapse at an inactive Duke Energy power plant. Duke Energy reports that "2,000 cubic yards of ash were released and could run off into the nearby Cape Fear River."

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been carefully monitoring the entire storm area. Since North Carolina has a high concentration of pork production, it also stores hog waste in large open pits, called lagoons, that have come under scrutiny before the storm as potential hazardous sites. When flooded, these pits can release waste into the waterways.

The Carolinas alone are home to 70 Superfund sites, and 1,000 toxic chemical sites. Supposedly, these sites are being monitored, and we are still waiting to see how much flooding occurred in these areas as of Sept. 17.

Coal-burning power plants also store coal ash in ponds that can also flood. One coal ash spill has already been reported outside Wilmington, North Carolina. About 2,000 cubic yards of "displaced ash," which is enough to fill 180 dump trucks, has already been reported at a Duke Energy power plant.

That situation, which was first observed on Sept. 16, is still being monitored at this time.

In addition to worrying about these potentially hazardous spills, the main focus appears to be on rescuing those who are trapped in their homes due to flooding, while also preparing for more rainfall.

Also, North Carolina dams are now at risk: this is a dangerous situation closely being monitored at this time. One potential breach has already been reported.

The storm is still moving and is expected to impact southeastern New England, bringing loads of rain with it.