MYTRLE BEACH, S.C. -- Residents along both the North and South Carolina coasts are preparing for Hurricane Florence.

The forecast is calling for a near-direct hit to the area.

People are boarding up their homes and businesses with plywood to protect from the wind. Sandbags are being placed to ward off potential flooding.

Store shelves have been emptied; all the water is out of stock.

The lines aren't long at the gas stations because the pumps are empty. However at car rental facilities, the lines are long as vacationers try to leave town after cutting their trips short.

One group visiting from Detroit went to the beach on Saturday, but are now being forced to evacuate.

"We got evacuated from our resort," Marge Zimba said. "We have an eight-person group here and this vehicle isn't big enough. We have to drive home."

The group was eventually able to exchange for a bigger vehicle to make the 800-mile trek home.

There's a lot of traffic congestion as people leave the area heading toward Interstate 95.

Some of the larger feeder roads leading to the coastal areas went one way out Tuesday.