FEMA chief says tropical storm Irene still dangerous

GlobalPost

Despite the fact that Hurricane Irene has been downgraded to a tropical storm, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency told CNN on Sunday that the storm is still dangerous.

"For a lot of folks, the danger still exists. We still will have trees coming down, heavy rain, strong winds," FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. Fugate also said that people should "stay inside, stay safe."

For those who have been evacuated, he said they should wait until floodwaters had receded and emergency crews had cleared away any damage before returning home.

And for the hundreds of thousands of people who have lost power, Fugate said it could be some time before the lights are back on.

"I think some people will get power back rather quickly, but other people, it's going to be days," he told NBC.

Earlier on Sunday, Fugate and FEMA released a statement people to be prepared.

"Regardless of its category, Hurricane Irene is a large and dangerous storm, and it's important that all residents along the East Coast heed the warnings and follow the directions of their state and local officials," Fugate said. "Now is the time to finalize preparations and monitor the news for information and directions. If you're told to evacuate, it's important to follow these instructions. Visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov for steps you can take to better protect yourself and your family."

Irene hit New York City early Sunday after making its second landfall at Little Egg Inlet, New Jersey.

According to The New York Times, Irene did not pack the punch forecasters had feared. There were "no reports of major damage to skyscrapers… and officials said the flooding appeared to be limited," the paper said.

“Things look better than we anticipated,” Christopher Gilbride, a spokesman for New York City’s Office of Emergency Management, told the Times.

Still, more than one million people in the New York City area found themselves without power.

Also on Sunday, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie issued a warning similar to Fugate's.

"Do not leave your homes. … It is still not safe," Christie said, according to CNN. "We've got flooding everywhere and flash flooding in all different parts of the state."

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