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Hurricane Irene: Emergency declared in seven US states Hurricane Irene: Emergency declared in seven US states
(40 minutes later)
Seven states along the east coast of the US, from North Carolina to New York, have declared emergencies ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irene. Seven states along the east coast of the US, from North Carolina to Connecticut, have declared emergencies ahead of Hurricane Irene's arrival.
The first hurricane of the Atlantic season weakened slightly early on Friday to a category two storm, with winds of up to 110mph (175km/h).The first hurricane of the Atlantic season weakened slightly early on Friday to a category two storm, with winds of up to 110mph (175km/h).
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and North Carolina.Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and North Carolina.
Irene, now leaving the Bahamas, has already caused havoc in the Caribbean. Irene has caused havoc in the Caribbean and could do the same in the US.
At 08:00 EDT on Friday (12:00 GMT on Friday), the storm was 375 miles south-south-west of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, said the US National Hurricane Center.
Heightened waves
US President Barack Obama, on holiday in Martha's Vineyard, an island on the Massachusetts coast, is due to make a statement.
Irene could affect up to 65 million people in major cities along the east coast from Washington to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston - the most densely populated corridor in America.
"We're going to have damages, we just don't know how bad," Craig Fugate, the head of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, told the Associated Press news agency.
"This is one of the largest populations that will be impacted by one storm at one time."
States of emergency have been declared in North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.States of emergency have been declared in North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
President Barack Obama also declared an emergency in North Carolina, where Irene is due to make landfall first, on Saturday afternoon. President Obama also declared an emergency in North Carolina, where Irene is due to make landfall first, on Saturday afternoon.
The move allows greater co-ordination between state and US federal disaster management authorities.The move allows greater co-ordination between state and US federal disaster management authorities.
"In this emergency I am activating all levels of state government to prepare for any situation that may be caused by Hurricane Irene," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Forecasters said Irene could strengthen slightly before its expected arrival in North Carolina on Saturday. It is then expected to weaken as it moves up the east coast, diminishing in strength by Sunday.
In Washington DC, which is under a tropical storm watch, Sunday's scheduled dedication of the newly opened memorial for Martin Luther King Jr - which President Barack Obama had been expected to attend - has been postponed until at least September. Heightened waves began hitting North Carolina's Outer Banks early on Friday.
Huge wind span Subway flood fears
At 08:00 EDT on Friday (12:00 GMT on Friday), Irene was 375 miles south-south-west of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/252349.shtml?" >said the US National Hurricane Center. More than 200,000 tourists and residents are being evacuated from three coastal counties in North Carolina.
The huge storm boasts hurricane force winds extending 80 miles from its centre, and tropical storm winds reaching up to 295 miles from the eye. While visitors to the region fled the area, residents have been stocking up on food, water and fuel.
Forecasters said Irene could strengthen slightly throughout Friday ahead of its expected arrival in North Carolina on Saturday. Irene boasts hurricane force winds extending 80 miles from its centre, and tropical storm winds reaching up to 295 miles from the eye.
It is then expected to weaken as it moves up the east coast, diminishing in strength by Sunday. In Washington DC, which is under a tropical storm watch, Sunday's scheduled dedication of the newly opened memorial for Martin Luther King Jr - which President Obama had been expected to attend - has been postponed until at least September.
US authorities are warning of dangerous storm-surge seas, high waves and rip-tide currents along the coast stretching up from North Carolina, through Chesapeake Bay and Maryland's Eastern Shore. The power company serving the Washington area warned of "potential widespread power outages" at the weekend.
Further north still, New Jersey, New York City and Long Island - densely populated areas not usually prepared for hurricanes - are expected to take a buffeting. US authorities are warning of dangerous storm-surge seas, high waves and rip-tide currents up the east coast as far as Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Safety 'not guaranteed' In the nation's biggest city, New York - which has not seen a hurricane for decades - hundreds of thousands of people in low-lying and beach-front areas have been advised to move elsewhere ahead of Irene's anticipated arrival on Sunday.
Much of New York's subway system and other infrastructure is underground and could be flooded, officials have noted.
Amtrak, America's passenger rail service, announced it was cancelling train travel south of Washington on the east coast, and airlines predicted widespread disruptions to air travel at the weekend.Amtrak, America's passenger rail service, announced it was cancelling train travel south of Washington on the east coast, and airlines predicted widespread disruptions to air travel at the weekend.
In Virginia, the US Navy ordered its Second Fleet to leave Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia on Thursday morning and head out to sea.In Virginia, the US Navy ordered its Second Fleet to leave Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia on Thursday morning and head out to sea.
"The forecasted destructive winds and tidal surge is too great to keep the ships in port," said Vice Adm Daniel Holloway, the fleet's commander."The forecasted destructive winds and tidal surge is too great to keep the ships in port," said Vice Adm Daniel Holloway, the fleet's commander.
"There is a much greater potential of not only the ships being damaged, but also the pier infrastructure.
"Having the ships under way also makes them ready and available to respond to any national tasking, including any needed disaster response efforts."
North Carolina emergency officials have extended evacuation orders to include more than 200,000 tourists and residents in three coastal counties.
Visitors to the region have been leaving the area, while residents are preparing to ride out the storm by stocking up on food, water and fuel.
"Businesses are boarding up. Nobody can guarantee their safety," Dare County emergency management spokeswoman Sharon Sullivan told the Associated Press.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie warned would-be holiday makers to avoid the shore, and urged people to evacuate ahead of the storm's anticipated arrival on Saturday night.
In New York City, more than 1,000 miles north of the storm's location on Thursday morning, Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged residents of low-lying and beach-front areas to find a place to stay on higher ground ahead of Irene's anticipated arrival on Sunday.
The New York Police Department, the nation's largest, moved 50 small boats to low-lying areas to be ready for rescue missions.
The city's social services agencies are doubling their efforts to ensure homeless New Yorkers have access to shelter.
Crews were also clearing the city's drainage system to make room for the torrents of rain expected when the storm passes to the city's east.
The exact track of the hurricane is uncertain, but US emergency officials said the east coast from the Carolinas to New England was preparing for its impact.
"This is going to be a big storm," said Craig Fugate, the head of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Just because it hits one area doesn't mean it's not going to cause damage further up the coast."
Are you in the path of Hurricane Irene? How are you preparing for the storm? You can get in touch using the form below:Are you in the path of Hurricane Irene? How are you preparing for the storm? You can get in touch using the form below:
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