Over 280 people died during the hurricane’s deadly sweep through Haiti and surrounding Caribbean nations, a toll that was expected to rise as emergency workers reached hard-hit outlying regions. Rick Scott said at a news conference Thursday, calling the storm “a monster.” “I’m going to pray for everybody’s safety,” Florida Gov. More than 2 million people had been urged to flee their homes and at least 60,000 homes and businesses were without power, even before the ferocious Category 4 storm reached landfall. Hurricane Matthew began pounding Florida with heavy rain and high winds Thursday night as it moved toward the Southeast coast, a storm that officials said could be one of the most powerful ever to strike the region.