August 28 - Irene Wreaks Havoc on East Coast: $8 Billion in Damage, 18 Dead

Hurricane Irene roared through the Northeast today like a rude, unwelcome guest, leaving at least 18 dead, millions without power, paralyzed cities, and an estimated $8 billion to $15 billion in damages.

Emergency officials said the storm knocked out power to more than 4 million people in six states and the recovery bill is still climbing.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Sunday flooding in his state is widespread and advised residents to remain indoors.

Irene's storm surge reached 4 to 5 feet along the New Jersey and New York coastline. At Battery Park, it was the sixth-highest water level ever recorded at 9.5 feet above mean low water level, according to emergency officials.

More than 270,000 in New York lost power, while in New Jersey at least 460,000 statewide are without power. The National Grid reported that 19,000-plus homes in Rhode Island lost power, and 6,000-plus homes are already without power in Massachusetts, according to utility records listed in The New York Times today.

Extremely heavy rain will continue to hit northern New England and upstate New York as Irene plows north through this afternoon, which will cause the area impacted by flooding to expand. Flood watches and warnings are in effect for this entire area.

In North Carolina, the state that took the first hard hit from Irene, residents woke up to a soggy state after rain saturated the state for more than 30 hours. The hurricane hit the coast Saturday morning with sustained winds of 85 miles per hour.

“We are battling massive rain events, huge power outages, rising waters, and paralyzed cities at the same time. This will take weeks to overcome and get a sense of normality back in the lives of Americans.”