RALEIGH, N.C. -- Thursday was another busy day for Gov. Roy Cooper as he visited more areas Hurricane Florence hit.

He made three visits in the Sandhills before returning to Raleigh for an official briefing at 5 p.m.

Cooper surveyed storm damage as flooding from Florence remains a threat, met with first responders and thanked the hundreds of volunteers that are doing what they can to help families recover from this devastating storm.

In his briefing, Cooper said 31 people lost their lives as a result of the storm. He says major flooding is an issue in rivers including the Lumber, Cape Fear, Neuse and Trent. Residents in Bladen, Craven, Cumberland, Greene, Robeson, Columbus, Wayne, Lenoir, Pender, Duplin and Jones Counties are urged to please be alert and aware, as many storm deaths occur after the storm has passed.

Wednesday, the governor met with President Donald Trump, who made his way to our state to assess the damage.

The two met at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point to discuss recovery efforts and then they went to a feeding station in New Bern, an area where first responders rescued hundreds of people.

Despite the widespread devastation, the governor has applauded the community for pitching in during this critical time of need.

"Neighbors are helping neighbors. Communities of faith are stepping up. I talked to one woman whose house had been destroyed she was out serving meals to other people,” said Cooper.

Stay up to date on the clean-up and aftermath of Florence: