"It sounded like a jet plane coming over. I was scared," said Walker as he stood in front of the battered remains of the two-story building..
At 1:45 a.m. EDT (0545 GMT), Matthew's eye was about 95 miles (155 km) south-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, and moving northward at 12 mph (19 kph), the NHC said.
After passing near or over the coast of Georgia it was on a track that would put it near or over South Carolina later on Saturday. Though gradually weakening, it was forecast to remain a hurricane until it begins moving away from the US Southeast on Sunday, the NHC said.