Hurricane Irene: Emergency declared in six US states

 

Six states along the east coast of the US, from North Carolina to New York, have declared emergencies ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irene.

 

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.

 

Irene, now leaving the Bahamas, has already caused havoc in the Caribbean. States of emergency have been declared in North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey and New York. President Barack 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. "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.

 

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.

 

At 20:00 EDT on Thursday (00:00 GMT on Friday), Irene was gradually moving away from Abaco Island in the Bahamas, and remained 550 miles south south-west of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, said the US National Hurricane Center. 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.

 

Forecasters said Irene could strengthen slightly throughout Friday ahead of 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. 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.

 

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. 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. "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."

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14669374

it's kind of unsettling to see the direct path of the hurricane heading directly where I live :|

I have the ominous "Jaws" tune in my head now.

 

Everyone on the East Coast, please stay safe!

Obama is going to address the nation at 11:30am EST. Eeek.

I think most people are over reacting to this.

I think most people are over reacting to this.

 

I don't think so.

 

We've haven't had a hurricane like this in decades.

 

Also here we've had windy storms (maybe like 30-40 MPH) that have knocked down a lot of trees and caused quite a lot of damage. So the idea of a 85 MPH storm with a foot or so of rain too is scary.

keep safe Coldplayers & your friends & families :kiss:

I don't think so.

 

We've haven't had a hurricane like this in decades.

 

Also here we've had windy storms (maybe like 30-40 MPH) that have knocked down a lot of trees and caused quite a lot of damage. So the idea of a 85 MPH storm with a foot or so of rain too is scary.

Yeah I think it's all of the rain that's going to cause problems, probably even more than the winds. Even if the wind dies down a bit, there's likely going to be loads of rain that will just keep getting dumped. I think Manhattan is just barely above sea level, and will the drains be able to handle all of that rain? I wonder. And imagine the places near the shore that are below sea level, they're screwed.

well that's what they've been talking about. Because Manhattan is right at around sea level so there will be flooding. In fact they're going to close down the Subway I think from Sat. Night into Monday because they think the tracks will be flooded.

 

It's going to be a huge mess.

 

At least we have plenty of time to prepare.

 

 

I'm more scared of the wind and falling trees than anything else

Ok well like, there was this one lady in the store who had bought 120 rolls of toilet paper. - over reacting

 

My grandmother seems to think we won't have power for 3-4 days. over reacting

well that's what they've been talking about. Because Manhattan is right at around sea level so there will be flooding. In fact they're going to close down the Subway I think from Sat. Night into Monday because they think the tracks will be flooded.

 

It's going to be a huge mess.

 

At least we have plenty of time to prepare.

 

 

I'm more scared of the wind and falling trees than anything else

 

Not Subway! Now i'll have to go to Chick-Fil-A. :cry:

keep safe Coldplayers & your friends & families :kiss:

 

+1.

Around 65million people are in the path of the storm which has weakened slightly to a Category 2 with 110mph winds as it approaches the East Coast.

 

But experts warn re-strengthening is possible and the storm is expected to be near the threshold between a Category 2 and 3 storm when it finally reaches the U.S.

With New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Delaware all declaring states of emergency the cost of the hurricane would be vast.

 

Many residents of New York and New Jersey are not used to storms like this striking their shores.

 

Popular Mechanics magazine has analysed what may happen, and claims 100mph counter-clockwise winds could dump 500 million tons of seawater directly into New York Harbor.

A storm surge could grow up to 15ft high and 2,900 miles of roads in the Brooklyn and Queens regions would be flooded, while the subway would flood in around 40 minutes.

 

 

Three tunnels linking Manhattan to New Jersey and New York’s boroughs would also flood, while a million people would lose electricity. A Category 3 storm would put JFK Airport under 19ft of water.

 

‘We've been very, very lucky because we haven't had that (direct hit),’ Cynthia Rosenzweig, of the NASA Goddard Institute in New York, said. ‘But the potential vulnerability for that is very high.’

Workers would spend weeks pumping water out of transport tunnels and the salt could corrode power lines, transformers and switches on train lines, reported Popular Mechanics.

New York City officials are preparing for the total shut-down of the nation's largest mass transit system on Saturday afternoon, with service potential not available again until Monday.

Officials say the system can't be safely operated with sustained winds of 39mph or more and it will take at least eight hours to move all equipment from low-lying storage areas and secure trains.

 

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2028553/Hurricane-Irene-path-2011-Thousands-flee-nightmare-scenario-predicted-Eastern-seaboard.html#ixzz1W9otYVh3

Ok well like, there was this one lady in the store who had bought 120 rolls of toilet paper. - over reacting

Really?!? :lol: I agree with you there.

 

 

My grandmother seems to think we won't have power for 3-4 days. over reacting

In a normal situation that probably wouldn't be the case. But if hunderds of thousands of homes are without power at once, it's going to take a long time for the electric companies to get everyone back online.

What did Obama say?

What did Obama say?

(from news article) - Obama has urged the millions of Americans in the path of Hurricane Irene to heed instructions from state and local officials, especially if directed to evacuate. "Don't wait, don't delay," he said Friday.

 

 

edit: The surfers seem to be liking it though.

 

I'm in Philadelphia and I bought plywood to board up my windows yesterday.

 

I live in a high rise in the middle of the city and I have absolutely no idea what the winds are gonna be like. Plus, my windows are huge.

 

:wreck:

 

 

This hurricane is really freaking me out.

Eh, you guys will be fine. We deal with this stuff all the time in the South, and this hurricane isn't enough to cause serious damage. Once it hits land there will be enough friction to slow it down a bit.

Eh, you guys will be fine. We deal with this stuff all the time in the South, and this hurricane isn't enough to cause serious damage. Once it hits land there will be enough friction to slow it down a bit.

 

I agree.

One cool way you can tell there's a hurricane nearby: it's unusually windy where I live now (South Carolina). Normally this would be one of those hot, stagnant late summer days, but everything smells fresher outside.

Stay safe everyone D;

There is no such thing as overreacting to hurricanes and storms. You should have a storm kit and extra water for an emergency. Long Island is sea level. I was in East Hampton a few years ago, and traveled around Long Island, and did not see any highre ground to go to. I would evaculate now and avoid the rush.

Stay safe Coldplayers! You'll all be in my thoughts. :)

I'm in Philadelphia and I bought plywood to board up my windows yesterday.

 

I live in a high rise in the middle of the city and I have absolutely no idea what the winds are gonna be like. Plus, my windows are huge.

 

:wreck:

 

 

This hurricane is really freaking me out.

Did you watch ABC World News Tonight? They were talking about winds and highrises. It was very informative.

 

Also, back to the topic of flooding in Manhattan. Yeah, there's a possibility of flooding in the subway so that's why they're closing it. But what I didn't think about before... since it is sal****er as opposed to regular rainwater, the salt is going to corrode stuff down there, including the switches and other things that keep the trains running smoothly. Ugh.

There is no such thing as overreacting to hurricanes and storms. You should have a storm kit and extra water for an emergency. Long Island is sea level. I was in East Hampton a few years ago, and traveled around Long Island, and did not see any highre ground to go to. I would evaculate now and avoid the rush.

 

So 120 rolls of toilet paper isn't over-reacting?