Millions of people along the southeastern coast of the United States were under evacuation orders on Thursday as Hurricane Matthew was about to become the first major hurricane to smash into Florida in more than a decade.

“You need to leave," Florida Gov. Rick Scott said on Thursday. "Evacuate, evacuate, evacuate."

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Many people heeded the evacuation mandates. A few, however, pulled out their phones and started livestreaming.

A Facebook Live map of Florida right now shows at least a few dozen livestreams flickering on and off.

A map of Facebook Live videos in Florida during Hurricane Matthew.Credit: facebook

In one, a man stands along the water's edge, watching as a small ship rocks in violent waves.

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In another, a man in Jacksonville narrates damage around a nearby river as his windshield wipers flick back and forth.

In many livestreams, Hurricane Matthew's wind rips across the screen, muffling whatever the person is trying to say.

Those who stayed were under significant threat. The fiercest element of the storm has so far hovered just offshore, but on Thursday, experts were broadcasting the most dire of warnings.

Tweet may have been deleted

Tweet may have been deleted

Of course, not everyone has the ability to evacuate. Evacuation requires money for food, travel, and possibly a hotel room. It often requires a social network that extends beyond the areas under threat from the hurricane.

Those who could have evacuated but instead chose to pull out their phones, however, have so far been little more than lucky.

BONUS: Roof ripped off house by Hurricane Matthew