ATLANTA, GEORGIA (REUTERS) - Georgia Governor Nathan Deal said on Wednesday (Oct 10) that he requested a federal state of emergency as the state braces for Category 4 Hurricane Michael.

Hurricane Michael was still strengthening as it closed in on the Florida Panhandle with the threat of catastrophic surges of sea water and roof-shredding winds, and was expected to be the worst hurricane ever recorded in the region.

Michael caught many by surprise with its rapid intensification as it churned north over the Gulf of Mexico. It was carrying top winds of 241 kmh shortly after 11pm (Singapore time), making it a very dangerous Category 4 storm on five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, the National Hurricane Center said.