Nearly a million people were without electricity on America's east coast tonight as hurricane Isabel came ashore.
Waves 40ft high and 100mph winds lashed the coastline as the storm passed over land, dumping up to 10 inches of rain in its wake.
Much of the east coast, including the capital Washington, virtually closed down and 300,000 people fled to higher ground.
Thousands more who had tried to weather the storm at home sought refuge at Red Cross centres.
There were no reports of deaths or injuries.
The White House said US President George W Bush was declaring a major disaster existed in parts of North Carolina, freeing up federal aid for the afflicted areas.
Around 700 flights have been cancelled and the federal government in Washington has shut down.
Schools and offices have closed and the Metro trains and buses have stopped running.
Hurricane Isabel is the first major storm to hit the US East Coast since Hurricane Floyd in 1999 which resulted in 56 deaths and $4.5bn worth of damage.
Aer Lingus flights cancelled
Meanwhile, Aer Lingus has cancelled two flights today between Ireland and Washington due to the adverse weather forecast in the States.
The affected flights are E 1119 Dublin to Baltimore and E 118 Baltimore to Dublin/Shannon.
Customers holding confirmed reservations on these flights should contact Aer Lingus reservations on 0818 365 000 to make alternative arrangements.
