Curt Anderson, Associated Press

One of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the United States was still threatening catastrophic flooding across the state.

The leftovers of Florida’s phosphate fertilizer mining industry are at risk for leaks or other contamination when hurricanes come ashore in the state, environmental groups say.

Forecasters said the heavily populated Fort Myers area could be inundated by a storm surge of more than 12 feet.

Elsa’s winds weakened to 40 mph, but it was dropping torrential rains over the Carolinas early Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Despite an engineer’s warning of major structural problems, a town building official told board members their high-rise was in “very good shape” almost three years before it collapsed.

The threat of a possible second dam breach reported Monday was “unsubstantiated,” the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said.

The will that Jeffrey Epstein signed just two days before his jailhouse suicide puts more than $577 million in assets into a trust fund that could make it more difficult for his dozens of accusers to collect damages.

The El Faro had no history of engine failure, officials said, and the vessel was modernized in 1992 and 2006. Company records show it underwent its last annual Coast Guard inspection in March.

Survival suits are designed to help seafarers float and stay warm. But even at a water temperature of 85 degrees, hypothermia can set in quickly, Coast Guard Capt. Mark Fedor said.

Authorities' refusal to provide more than a few sketchy details about the Freddie Gray investigation is fueling suspicion and mistrust as a weekend of protest rallies looms. The secrecy may be legally appropriate, but many in Baltimore were finding it hard to be patient Thursday when police took no questions at a news conference about the criminal investigation findings they turned over to the state's attorney's office.