Gov. Ralph Northam has lifted the mandatory evacuation of residents in Zone A of Hampton Roads and other areas of the state, effective at 11 a.m. Friday.

The city of Suffolk remains under a Coastal Flood Warning and continues to see windy weather. Winds from 15 to 18 miles per hour are expected the rest of the day and into Saturday.

“The imminent threat of coastal flooding and high winds have passed for our coastal communities as Hurricane Florence has made landfall in the Carolinas and we believe it is safe for Virginians to begin returning home,” Northam said. “We are shifting our focus to the expected inland flooding and damage to Southwest Virginia as Florence turns north this weekend. We will make determinations in the coming days about the available resources and assistance we can offer to our neighbors in the Carolinas, who are in our thoughts and prayers as they bear the impact of this historic storm. I want to recognize the tireless work of our local, state and federal partners who have been working around the clock to prepare Virginia for Hurricane Florence and to keep our residents safe.”

Now that the mandatory evacuation order is no longer in effect, individual localities can coordinate the return of their citizens with consideration to flooding and road conditions, public health and medical concerns, public safety issues, ongoing response activities and critical utility restoration. Virginians should check local government websites and social media channels for any additional instructions.

Citizens should use caution when returning home, and check road conditions before they travel by logging on to www.511Virginia.org or call 511.

Residents in Southwest Virginia should prepare for flooding and can find out how at www.VAEmergency.gov/floods.