North Carolina's governor on Monday called Florence an "epic storm" and warned that some parts of his state "have not seen the worst flooding yet."
"This remains a significant disaster," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference. "The next few days will be long ones as the flooding continues."
First responders have rescued and evacuated more than 2,600 people and at least 300 animals from flooded areas, with rescues ongoing, Cooper said.
Rainfall totals in North Carolina and South Carolina have set new records from a tropical cyclone, with 35 inches and 23 inches respectively.
"We, the people of North Carolina, will get through this," Cooper said.
What a difference a 24 hour period has made to the Cape Fear River. A comparison photo from the Person St Bridge from yesterday to today. #Florence #ReadyNC #ReadyFay #NCWX pic.twitter.com/2BgWAUmuUx
— Fayetteville Police (@FayettevillePD) September 17, 2018
(MORE: How to help those impacted by Hurricane Florence)Doing a survey of storm surge on North Topsail Island #Florence #ncwx pic.twitter.com/uAY09hzN5t
— NWS Newport/Morehead (@NWSMoreheadCity) September 17, 2018
At least 32 people have died since Florence made landfall Friday, The Associated Press said.
Among the victims is 1-year-old Kaiden Lee-Welch, who was swept away by floodwaters in North Carolina.
His mother was driving on highway 218 when rushing water pushed the vehicle off the road.
"Her vehicle left the roadway and came to rest amongst a group of trees. She managed to free herself and Kaiden, who was in a car seat, but lost her grip on him in the rushing water," the Union County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. The boy's body has since been recovered.
Rivers across the Carolinas continue to swell and threaten neighborhoods with devastating floods as hundreds of roads have become largely impassable.
This isn't a river...this is Interstate 40. @NCAviation captured this drone footage today as part of damage assessment near mile marker 387 in Pender County. This illustrates our message that travel in this area is impassable and unsafe. #FlorenceNC pic.twitter.com/28Ok6Tjpcu
— NCDOT (@NCDOT) September 17, 2018
(MORE: 1-year-old swept away in floodwater among those killed by Florence)Just arriving in Lumberton where folks are canoeing through flooded out highways. This is Route 211 right by the interchange with 95. #ABC11 #HurricaneFlorence pic.twitter.com/JJzQTo9S5Q
— Elaina Athans (@AthansABC11) September 17, 2018
Residents in South Lumberton, North Carolina, were evacuated Sunday as the Lumberton River continued to rise.
Mandatory evacuations were also issued late Sunday in Hoke County, west of Fayetteville, North Carolina, due to the potential breach of a dam at McLaughlin Lake.
(MORE: 'My biggest concern is rising water': Coast Guard chief worries over slow-moving Florence)With 500,000 people without power Monday, trucks are having a hard time getting into some areas cut off by the flooded roads.
Getting food to people stranded by rising waters is also a problem.
"We have no way of getting food for ourselves or the animals," one trapped resident told ABC News.
"Power is not gonna come back for awhile. Our road is washed out."
(MORE: Hurricane Florence: NC nursing home patients ride out the storm despite warnings: 'It would be difficult for us to move them')In Winnabow, North Carolina some residents are cutoff and say they need help getting food and supplies. This is less than 15 miles south of Wilmington. That’s Highway 17 underwater in the background. #Florence @ABC @ABC11_WTVD @wpdeabc15 pic.twitter.com/7ypwpb6kTW
— Tom Llamas (@TomLlamasABC) September 17, 2018
As residents of the Carolinas are trapped in the dangerous floodwaters, the remnants of Florence brought storms to the mid-Atlantic, including tornadoes to Virginia.
One person died Monday in Chesterfield County, Virginia, when a building was hit by a tornado and collapsed, according to the Chesterfield Fire Department.
ABC News' Rachel Katz contributed to this report.