Just hours after making landfall in North Carolina, with a path projected up the U.S. East Coast ravaging through high-population areas including New York, Hurricane Irene 2011 holds the potential for being one of the costliest storms ever. Already New York is in an unprecedented shutdown in anticipation of the storm, and while economic loss for business closings ahead of a storm isn't used as a formal hurricane damage calculation the impact is indicative of what's to come from Irene
Slowly following its chartered course up the East Coast, Hurricane Irene has already claimed its first lives: A North Carolina man killed outside his home by a tree limb that blew down this morning and another who reportedly died of a heart attack, ABC News reported.
Maine residents, who are used to severe storms, are nevertheless in no way underestimating the power of Hurricane Irene, which packs damaging winds and torrential rain. However, if Saturday's forecast holds, Irene will enter Maine Sunday downgraded to a tropical storm.
State officials may also open up shelters in Newark for more evacuees.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the military is standing by, preparing to offer aid in response to Hurricane Irene, with roughly 101,000 National Guard forces available to governors of East Coast states, if needed.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says a downtown power shut-off is likely in advance of a Hurricane Irene strike.
You can't prepare for the best case, you have to prepare for the worst case, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg tweeted Saturday morning, as NYC faces its first ever evacuation order due to the upcoming threat of Hurricane Irene.
Connecticut officials and residents scrambled Saturday to get residents of low-lying / flood prone areas out of harm’s away, as Hurricane Irene, a Category 1 storm packing 75 mile per hour winds and heavy rain. The outer bands of rain from Irene are expected to reach Connecticut by Saturday at 6 p.m. EDT.
The path that Hurricane Irene, the first hurricane of the season, chose to take has caused the first-ever New York City shutdown. America's largest subway system and about five flights in the NYC area shut down around noon on Saturday, as Irene continues to churn near the East Coast.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is urging city residents to heed warnings of evacuation. He said Irene poses a serious threat to the city.
Hurricane season for the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico runs from June 1 through November 30
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo told the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to suspend tolls at the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge, the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, a statement on his Web site noted.
Forecasters are predicting winds as high as 85 mph for southern Delaware.
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has suspended bridge tolls, subway fares and bus tickets in order to encourage the evacuation of New Yorkers who are in area that could be damaged by Hurricane Irene.
The storm comes just a week after an unprecedented magnitude-5.8 earthquake struck central Virginia.
As Hurricane Irene barrels towards New York City (NYC), Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered an evacuation of Zone A residents by 5:00 p.m. ET.
New York is in the eye of Hurricane Irene's path. Here's why America's largest city faces high risk from Hurricane Irene.
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Hurricane Irene makes landfall in North Carolina. 2.5 million evacuation orders are issued along the East Coast. President Obama says Irene will be 'costly.'
Hurricane Irene howled ashore in North Carolina with heavy winds, rain and surf on Saturday on a path threatening the densely populated U.S. East Coast with flooding and power outages.
Federal officials have warned Hurricane Irene, which is at a category 1 phase currently, could cause flooding, power outages or worse all along the East Coast as far north as Maine, even if it stays offshore.
At least 90,000 residents on North Carolina’s coast are without power, including a hospital in Morehead City.