Hurricane Irene pounds North Carolina

Nation & World News

Hurricane Irene pounds North Carolina

Hurricane Irene soaks Nags Head, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. Irene slammed into North Carolina's coast around dawn Saturday with howling winds and drenching rains amid reports of flooding and tens of thousands of people without power.

tephan Misa moves tree limbs from the front of his home during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 in New Bern, N.C.

Ivan Mallory takes photographs of storm damage from Hurricane Irene on the Outer Banks in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., Sunday. rene inflicted scattered damage over such a broad area that the total damage -- and costs involved -- are not yet known.

Jackie Sparnackel has to abandon her van and her belongings near the Frisco Pier in Frisco, North Carolina, after she drove up to see how the storm battered structure was doing on Saturday, August 27, 2011. Friends tried to tow her out but she was caught in a over wash. Hurricane force winds from Irene battered the island and knocked out power.

Marc James, rear center, and members of his family clean up the house of a friend who evacuated before Hurricane Irene, after it was flooded by a storm surge on the Outer Banks in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

A flooded road is seen in Hatteras Island, N.C., Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011after Hurricane Irene swept through the area Saturday cutting the roadway in five locations.

Boats sit high and dry in the Scott Marina at Buxton, N.C., as hurricane-force winds from Irene push the water into the Pamlico Sound Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011.

The Stumpy Point Congregational Holiness Church is shown surrounded by water following the effects of Hurricane Irene in Stumpy Point, N.C., Sunday.

A gas station and convienence store in Avon, N.C., lost its canopy as Hurricane Irene arrived Saturday morning, Aug. 27, 2011.

Residents stand on a pier after Hurricane Irene pulled all the water away and into the Albemarle Sound on the Outer Banks in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 as Hurricane Irene reaches the North Carolina coast. Residents are expecting serious flooding when Irene passes and the tail end of the hurricane will flood the homes seen at rear.

Cody Levy, left, Ian Crossman, and Christian Van Vliet run out onto a receded Albemarle Sound in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., on Saturday, August 27, 2011. The sound had moved out due to the high winds of Hurricane Irene.

A large tree went down next to the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity house on 5th Street in Greenville, N.C., as Hurricane Irene made landfall, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011.

A vehicle avoids a downed utility pole on Woodlawn Street, as Hurricane Irene hits Greenville, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011.

A boarded up restaurant is seen behind palm trees as they bend in the strong winds on the Outer Banks in Duck, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 as Hurricane Irene reaches the North Carolina coast.

Shielding his eyes from the driving sand, Mike Scruggs takes a photo of the beach at Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., during Hurricane Irene on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011.

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. Irene slammed into North Carolina's coast around dawn Saturday with howling winds and drenching rains amid reports of flooding and tens of thousands of people without power.

Waters lap at the foundation of a house along Calico Creek Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 in Morehead City, N.C. Hurricane Irene, a category 1 storm, is making landfall on the North Carolina coast.

Waves move onto the beach as Hurricane Irene approaches Nags Head, N.C., Saturday.

A motorist drives by as water rises around abandoned beachfront homes in Nags Head, N.C. Saturday.

A reporter stands in the water in Nags Head, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, as Hurricane Irene approaches.

A man walks along Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, as Hurricane Irene reaches the North Carolina coast.

People run from the beach in Kitty Hawk, Outer Banks, N.C., Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, as Hurricane Irene reaches the North Carolina coast.

Ella Clark, left, and her family look up and wave at the news helicopters circling Nags Head, N.C., as the family prepares to leave the Outer Banks before Hurricane Irene hits on Friday, Aug. 26, 2011 in Nags Head. The Clarks own the house but live in Virginia and were cutting their vacation a few days short to head back home. With four young children they didn't want to take the risk of staying and then deal with the possibility of no water or power.

After failing to find sandbags at Home Depot and Ace Hardware, Kristin Ryce had to bag her own to bring back to her home in Nags Head, N.C., in preparation for Hurricane Irene, Friday, August 26, 2011.

Ryce's husband is owner of the Yellow Submarine restaurant and they're waiting the hurricane out. Here she and employees Alejandro Sanchez, center, and Szymon Olejniczak bring their sandbags to the garage.

Ken Williams, right, calls 911 after a billboard fell on a metal car port at Wells Transmission in Wilmington, N.C., during a sweep of Hurricane Irene on Friday, Aug. 26, 2011.

1/25

tephan Misa moves tree limbs from the front of his home during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 in New Bern, N.C.

Today's Gallery Headlines

Jesse Jackson

PHOTOS: Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson found stage and home in Atlanta

Spring training Day 5 (Saturday)

PHOTOS: Day 5 of spring training for the Braves

Valentines for Veterans

Metro Atlanta students write valentines to veterans

GHSA Championship, Dance, Akins Ford Arena, Athens

PHOTOS: Georgia teams dance way to state championships