*By Carlo Versano* Tropical Storm Michael moved rapidly northeast over Georgia and the Carolinas on Thursday after coming ashore as an unprecedented Category 4 on the Florida Panhandle a day earlier and doing severe damage to coastal cities like Panama Beach. But the biggest fears of potentially catastrophic storm surge did not appear to have been realized. Sarah Rosario, a reporter for the local CBS affiliate in St. Petersburg, Fla., told Cheddar from Crystal River that the waters there had receded, and "things are looking much better." Up north on the panhandle, though, the damage was more severe. At least two people are dead and hundreds of thousands remain without power after Michael made a direct hit on the region. "This is the biggest storm that area has seen ever," Rosario noted. "It came out of nowhere." The focus now turns to flooding in the southeast, where the ground remains saturated with rainwater from last month's Hurricane Florence. Michael is expected to quickly move north toward Virginia before exiting back into the Atlantic as a post-tropical system. Michael is the [fourth](https://twitter.com/chrisdolcewx/status/1050348660339412992) Category 4 storm to hit the U.S. in 14 months. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/hurricane-michael-hits-florida).

Share:
More In Culture
Eastern State Penitentiary Halloween Prison Tour Aims to Educate on Mass Incarceration
Touring the remains of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia has long been a Halloween tradition, but this year there is an educational spin to the haunting experience. Sean Kelly, Eastern State Penitentiary historic site SVP, talked to Cheddar about the goal of this year's 'Halloween Nights' and why it is relevant to mass incarceration.
Growth in the Gig Economy Market; Getting Started in Real Estate Investing
On this episode of 'Your Future Home', Ania Smith, TaskRabbit CEO, discusses TaskRabbit's recent revenue growth, how the company is increasing their taskers' earning potential, and its potential for greater global expansion.; Aaron Wagner, a former football player turned self-made real estate investor & Founder and Managing Partner of Wags Capital, breaks down the best first steps the average investor can take into the realm of real estate, and how wholesaling can be a smart investment.; Cheddar breaks down all the tips, tricks, and things to look out for when buying your first home.
Pearson, Producer Simon Fuller Team Up to Launch Academy of Pop for Performing Arts
Pearson CEO Andy Bird joined Cheddar's "Opening Bell" to talk about a new partnership with famed recording artist manager Simon Fuller to launch a new performing arts school, the Academy of Pop, focused on cultivating the next round of rising stars. While the school will focus predominantly on the arts, Fuller said Bird wanted to partner with the learning company Pearson to add structure to the curriculum. "I think in many areas, the performing arts have suffered within education, and so part of our goal is to sort of put the 'A' into STEM and turn it into STEAM," he said. The first studio is slated to open in Hollywood.
Empowering Hispanic Creators; Expanding Genetic Testing for Women
On this epsiode of ChedHER: COO of Exile discusses the company's mission of creating original content for audiences across the U.S. and Latin America; Community Impact Region Lead, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase breaks down the firm's commitment to racial equity; President of Myriad Genetics explains how to expand access to genetic testing for all women.
Expanding Genetic Testing for Women Everywhere
Nicole Lambert, President at Myriad Genetics joins ChedHER to discuss how to expand access to genetic testing for all women, and how her experience as a 'pre-vivor' motivates her role in the industry.
How JPMorgan Chase is Committing to Racial Equity
Noreen Hernandez, Community Impact Region Lead, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase, joins ChedHER to discuss the firm's commitment to racial equity and what needs to be done to close the racial wealth gap.
Load More