The US state of New Jersey has declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Erin threatens to cause coastal flooding, rip currents and gale-force gusts along the Atlantic coasts of the US and Canada, BBC reported.

Early on Friday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) stressed that conditions still posed a threat to life - even as the storm continued to drift away from North America.

The first hurricane of the Atlantic season is weakening and will soon lose its status, before bringing rain to the UK next week.

In the meantime, a storm surge up to a metre (3ft) in height is possible in US states such as Rhode Island and Virginia, as well as Canada's Atlantic coast, according to BBC.