Irene Loses Strength, Still a Threat

Hurricane Irene land Saturday, losing some power but threatening a catastrophic run up the U.S. East Coast. More than 2 million people were told to flee, and New York City ordered the nation's biggest subway system shut down for the first time because of a natural disaster.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the enormous storm's top sustained winds slipped to 90 mph early Saturday from 100 mph overnight but warned Irene would remain a hurricane as it moves up the mid-Atlantic coast, still on track to hit the New York City area and New England.

As the storm's outer bands of wind and rain lashed the North Carolina coast, knocking out power in places, authorities farther north begged people to get out of harm's way.

"Don't wait. Don't delay," said President Obama, who cut short his summer vacation and returned to Washington. "I cannot stress this highly enough: If you are in the projected path of this hurricane, you have to take precautions now."

A coastal town official in North Carolina said witnesses believed a tornado spawned by Irene lifted the roof off a car dealership warehouse in Belhaven on Friday night.

Forecasters said the core of Irene would make landfall in the next few hours, roll up the mid-Atlantic coast Saturday night and over southern New England on Sunday.

Hurricane warnings remain up and down the East Coast.