New Jersey governor tells people to “get the hell off the beach”

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had some words on Friday for residents of his state still on the coast as hurricane Irene approached: get the hell off the beach.

At a news conference, Christie was discussing emergency and evacuation plans when he turned his attention to beachgoers still enjoying the sun in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

"I saw some of these news feeds that I've been watching upstairs of people sitting on the beach at Asbury Park," he said. "Get the hell off the beach at Asbury Park and get out. You're done. It's 4:30, you've maximized your tan. Get off the beach. Get in your cars and get out of those areas."

Friday afternoon, The New Jersey Star-Ledger reported on the Asbury Park stragglers.

"It's a beautiful beach day," Barbara Gazzale told the paper.

Like other states, New Jersey has begun evacuating people ahead of Irene's arrival. The Star-Ledger reports that residents and visitors in Cape May, Atlantic and Ocean counties are being required to leave by officials. The storm is expected to arrive in southern New Jersey Saturday night.

Irene is expected to hit the coastal areas of North Carolina late Friday night or early Saturday. Residents from North Carolina to Massachusetts have been stocking up on supplies, as officials initiated emergency and evacuation plans.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has put in place industrial-sized generators, medical supplies and other emergency equipment at military bases in North Carolina, New Jersey and Massachusetts, the Los Angeles Times reports.