Update and photos on Hurricane Irene from North Carolina

Michelle August 27, 2011 Leave a Comment

[Update 8:43 p.m.] A ninth person has died as a result of Hurricane Irene, officials said. A man in Chesterfield County, Virginia, died after a tree fell on his home, emergency officials said.

[Update 8:39 p.m.] The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for metropolitan New York. A tornado watch indicates that conditions are favorable for a tornado to form, according to the National Weather Service. No tornado has yet developed or been reported.

[Update 8:35 p.m.] Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston announces suspension of Sunday services due to Hurricane Irene.

[Update 8:32 p.m.] The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is now closed, the Maryland Transportation Authority said on its website. The bridge will be off-limits until high winds subside, the agency said.

[Update 8:21 p.m.] The Maryland Transit Administration said it was halting all subway and bus services at 9 p.m. Saturday – with light rail transport ending three hours earlier. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel has been closed until further notice, the state’s Emergency Management Agency reported.

[Update 8:00 p.m.] The National Hurricane Center on Saturday warned residents living in tall structures in the path of Hurricane Irene that the wind hitting upper floors will be stronger than those in most storms.

Above from CNN
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7.05pm ET: Time for a summary of the day’s news as Hurricane Irene carved its way up the United States’ Atlantic coast, Saturday:

• At least five fatalities have now been attributed to the storm. Three of these deaths were caused, directly or indirectly, by trees felled by high winds. In Florida, a surfer was killed while attempting to take advantage of the hurricane-powered waves.

• Approximately 1 million Americans – in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and DC – are without electricity. The mayor of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania has warned citizens that outages could last for days, even weeks. As Irene heads north, that number is likely to grow.

• Hundreds of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate coastal and low-lying areas along the eastern seaboard. As many as 1 million people have left the Jersey shore. In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has warned that “we are going to break down doors if we have to” to enforce the evacuation.

• Transport has ground to a virtual halt on the east coast. Some 9,000 flights have been cancelled from affected airports. In New York, all public transport has closed down until Monday.

• Despite Irene losing force, downgraded to category 1, storm surges and heavy rains are creating danger of widespread flooding. In northern New England, Vermont’s governor has declared a state of emergency, with flooding predicted in every river in the state.

With that, Matt Seaton is signing off. Matt Wells continues the service shortly. Good night, Irene.

Posting from Guardian

Abandoned beach front houses are surrounded by rising water as the effects of Hurricane Irene are felt in Nags Head on Saturday, August 27, 2011.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Abandoned beach front houses are surrounded by rising water as the effects of Hurricane Irene are felt in Nags Head, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
GERRY BROOME – AP

A sea bird struggles for life in the leeward side of a dune in Frisco Saturday as Hurricane Irene pounds the coast.
CHUCK LIDDY – CLIDDY@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

A rooftop view of flooding damage Saturday, August 27, 2011 in Morehead City. Hurricane Irene, a category 1 storm, is making landfall on the North Carolina coast. TRAVIS LONG- tlong@newsobserver.com
TRAVIS LONG – TLONG@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Jon Harvey checks flooding damage in his garage Saturday, August 27, 2011 in Morehead City. Hurricane Irene, a category 1 storm, is making landfall on the North Carolina coast. TRAVIS LONG- tlong@newsobserver.com
TRAVIS LONG – TLONG@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

A sailboat sits high and dry in the Scott Marina as Hurricane force winds from Irene push the water into the Pamlico Sound Saturday morning.
CHUCK LIDDY – CLIDDY@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Ian Crossman, left, Cody Levy and Christian Van Vliet walk out onto a receded Albemarle Sound in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday, August 27, 2011. The sound had moved out due to the high winds of Hurricane Irene.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Boats sit in an almost empty channel as Hurricane Irene pushes the water out in to Albemarle Sound in Nags Head on Saturday, August 27, 2011.
SHAWN ROCCO – SROCCO@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Boats sit high and dry in the Scott Marina as Hurricane force winds from Irene push the water into the Pamlico Sound Saturday morning.
CHUCK LIDDY – CLIDDY@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

A vehicle avoids a downed utility pole on Woodlawn St. as Hurricane Irene hits Greenville, N.C. on Aug. 27, 2011.
CHRIS SEWARD – CSEWARD@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

This gas station convenience store in Avon lost it’s canopy as Hurricane Irene arrived Saturday morning.
CHUCK LIDDY – CLIDDY@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Waters lap at the foundation of a house along Calico Creek Saturday, August 27, 2011 in Morehead City. Hurricane Irene, a category 1 storm, is making landfall on the North Carolina coast. TRAVIS LONG- tlong@newsobserver.com
TRAVIS LONG – TLONG@NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Smithfield Firefighters inspect the damage to Smithfield House at the intersection of Buffalo and Hospital Roads on Saturday afternoon after winds from Hurricane Irene pushed two trees on the building on Saturday August 27, 2011 in Smithfield, N.C.
ROBERT WILLETT – RWILLETT@NEWSOBSERVER.COM